As We Leave These Shores
by sci-fiwitch
Summary: A young woman decides to change her destiny and earns the love of a prince in return. A HOC fic based on the movie Troy and it is rated for violence. COMPLETE!
1. Default Chapter

A/N: This story is based on the movie Troy with the exception of a few of my own characters.  Reviews are most appreciated.

**As We Leave These Shores.**

Chapter 1

The harsh wind blew from the Aegean Sea on a cold winter morning and the pines sway in a haunting dance.  In a small farmhouse by the Scamander River, a young girl was sleeping by the fireplace; her dark curly hair tangled with her long limbs.  A cock crew and stirred her from her peaceful slumber.

"Max…" she murmured, her eyes still closed.  The wolf dog beside her got up and yawned. A smile crept to her lips as she felt the dog's wet tongue lapping her face.

"Is it morning already?" she said, rubbing her eyes as she looked out the window.  The sun was just peeking from the horizon; signaling the start of the day.  The goats and sheep need to be fed and water drawn from the river.  Wrapping her shoulders with a woolen shawl, she pushed open the door and stepped out into the chilly morning.  Suddenly, she heard the moaning sound of the city bells echoing through the hills and turned towards the direction of her city, Troy.

"Lucia! Get your things," said her brother, Marcus as he came rushing out.  "We need to seek refuge behind the walls of Troy."

She stared blankly at her older sibling.  "What's happening?"

Marcus grabbed his armor and sword.  "Our city is being attacked."

_Who would want to attack us? _

"Quick, get mother and anything you need. I'll be riding ahead," he said, mounting his horse.  Marcus was part of the famed Apollonian Guard.  It was his duty to protect his king and country and Troy needed him now. She watched as her brother rode off into the horizon.

Without much ado, she quickly gathered some food and clothing.  "Mother, we need to hurry," she said with an urgent tone.  As they left their home, Lucia turned around and stared longingly at the rolling green pastures and snow-capped mountains.  _Hopefully, we will return soon_, she mused.

A dog's bark brought her back to reality and she called to him, "Max!"

The dog responded enthusiastically as he trailed after them.

People from all over the countryside poured into the fortified city.  There was a lot of activity in the streets; horses and armed soldiers were everywhere.  The street was covered with stalls; men and women bartered over goods and food and all sorts of things. Young children scampered around the town, chasing each other around. Lucia managed to find a place to stay – it was a barn shared with five other families.  It wasn't comfortable but they had to make do until the siege was over.

After putting up a makeshift tent, she turned to her mother and said, "I'll bring back some water while you rest."   

As she was carrying water back to her mother, she heard the clear sound of horns. All of the people in the street froze, their movements stiffened. Mothers moved to take their children away from the center of the road as Lucia jumped to the side of the road just in time. Max growled at the oncoming horsemen.

A dozen horses galloped past, their teeth ferociously bared as their riders rode out to meet the enemy; the clatter of hoofs against stone rose above the crowd's chatter. The riders looked fearsome, their bodies cloaked in leather armor and their helmets, almost completely covered their faces.

The lead rider then spoke, and his voice was harsh.

"Make way for His Royal Highness, Prince Hector!"

Lucia craned her neck slightly to get a glimpse of this prince that her brother so loved. The ranks of riders parted as another beast, larger and fiercer than all the others, moved forth. The rider was a large, powerful looking man, his armor glistening in the sun. He held a sword in one hand, and his very presence inspired fear and awe.

Beside him, she saw another rider, one much younger. She recognized him immediately.  "Marcus!"

Marcus reigned in his horse and waved to her before he joined the others.  There were rumors that the Greeks had landed on Trojan shores.  Lucia had heard of these fearsome Achaean people but nothing could be certain until Marcus came back and confirmed them.  As she passed the temple, she offered two pigeons as burnt sacrifice to the gods and said a silent prayer for her brother.

_Dear gods, please bring him home safely to us…_

Her father too was a brave soldier and he died for his country when she was only five years old.  It was Marcus' dream to follow in their father's footsteps. It would have been Lucia's dream too if she were born a male but it did not stop her from learning the skills to fight from her brother.  Lucia smiled reminiscing the days when she had chased her brother around the courtyard of their house with sticks.  They were only six and ten respectively, acting out their favorite stories. 

_That was a long time ago_, Lucia sighed wistfully.

Suddenly, the ground began to shake and the deafening sounds of men shouting and swords clashing filled her with dread.  The impregnable walls of Troy would protect them but what of the men outside…

Lucia hurried back to her mother and waited for her brother's return.  The day was getting dark and yet there was still no sign of Marcus.  She was about to go out to look for him when she saw a tall soldier approaching her.  From the insignia on his armor, she recognized the man to be from Marcus' regiment.

"Are you Lucia?" he asked gravely.

"Yes. That's me."

The man removed his bloodied helmet and introduced himself.  "I am Captain Tyr. Your brother was a good soldier and it was my honor to fight alongside him in battle."

"Where is he?" she asked, hoping to see him walking down the street at any moment.

"Lucia, your brother is dead."

_No, it can't be…_

Her head was spinning with questions as the news twisted in her heart. 

"He died a warrior's death."

Grief overwhelmed her as she let out an anguished cry and swayed. Then everything turned black.

"Lucia…Lucia…" a soothing voice called her.

Her eyes fluttered open and she saw her mother's face. "Mother, Marcus…he's…"  Lucia began to cry.

Her mother hugged her. "Yes, I know.  You were calling his name all night."

%%%%%

The priest passed by each body in turn, administering hasty last rites, then

moved on to the next while a harassed junior priest lit the funeral pyre.

Dressed in white, Lucia stood tall as she gazed fixedly at her brother's body as it was consumed by the flames.  Her mother and the other women were standing nearby, weeping silently.

Closing her eyes, she was invaded by horrific images -- a sharp sword impales a soldier through the stomach --another sword slices through leather -- and a severed head encased in metal spins lose from armored shoulders...

Inwardly, she trembled with rage at the carnage that had befallen their beautiful city – so many dead, so much pain.  She looked to the heavens, hoping for a sign and the flutter of purple robes caught her eye.  On the balcony above was a man with dark wavy hair and a short beard -- his regal bearing and the intensity of his expression gave him away.  _This must be Prince Hector,_ she thought. 

He was watching the funeral; his handsome features overshadowed by a deep frown.  She could tell he was visibly disturbed. Her brother had nothing but praise for this future king of Troy.  Prince Hector loved his country and his people -- he would never let the Greeks harm them.  He would avenge her brother's death and drive the enemy out.  Lucia felt a surge of hope within her as she turned back to look at the prince, but he had already gone. 

After the funeral, she saw the women singing and playing in the halls; oblivious of the danger just beyond the city. They were cooking over an open fire and kneading bread. _What good is a woman when all she could do was cook, weave and make clothes, and bear children?_ she thought bitterly.

Then, she saw Trojan soldiers training in the courtyard with their swords and spears – some of them looked barely fifteen.  It was cruel fate that most of them would not live to old age.  She was observing their fighting skills and suddenly, she heard a man shouting at the top of his voice…

_They will rape our women and pillage our city_

_Kill every man in the city_

_Young children will grow up, knowing no other life than that of the Greeks outside of our walls, killing their fathers_

_Widows will re-marry only to lose   
more husbands, mothers will mourn the   
death of all of their sons_

While the others laughed and scoffed at his warnings, Lucia felt a chill down her spine.  This mad man's cries echoed the frown on Prince Hector's face.  _Did he think that __Troy__ would fall too?_

It was almost dark when Lucia returned to her mother.  As she neared the barn, she could see her mother talking to a woman and a man, similar to her age.  She stiffened as she recognized them – Medea and her son, Pollux, their scheming neighbors.  They had been eyeing their farm since her father died.  It was Marcus who had protected them but now Marcus was gone.

"Ah, Lucia.  You've grown," Medea said, forcing a smile.

She scowled back. "What do you want?"

"Lucia! Where are your manners?" her mother reprimanded her.

"Sorry…" she mumbled grudgingly and went inside without another word.  Plopping herself unto the soft hay stack, she tried to block out the pain in her heart.  She really missed Marcus and wished he were still alive. 

She heard her mother's footsteps approaching and she sat up.  "Mother, what do they want with us?"

"Lucia, our old neighbors visited us because they were concerned," her mother said. 

"Ugh! They are the most conceited and selfish people I've ever met.  Concern was never a trait in their family."

"Lucia! How could you talk about them like that?" Her mother sighed. "I am old, Lucia. What will happen to you when I die?"

She fell silent.

"Medea has made us a marriage offer.  They will take you in as their daughter and care for you."

Lucia's head shot up in shock.  "No! I won't marry Pollux."

"Then you will end up a slave…"  Her mother was becoming exasperated by her obstinate behavior. 

"If I marry Pollux, I WILL end up their slave," she muttered to herself.

"Please Lucia.  I beg you.  Think about it." 

Lying alone in her bed, Lucia tried to make sense of their conversation. Marriage to Pollux was unthinkable -- the very thought of that sniveling rat touching her made her skin crawl. She began to feel strangled by the norms of the society that she grew up in.  Unmarried women with no family like her would eventually become slaves. She stared at the armor that Marcus had worn on the day he died, lying on the ground next to her.

Slowly, her thoughts drifted to her beloved brother.  His kind face always showed compassion and understanding. "What would you do, Marcus?" she whispered sadly and hugged his armor. "I need your wisdom."

_She was back again on her farm, running among the wheat and barley.  She turned around and saw a very young Marcus smiling at her.  They were children again, playing with sticks in the field.  _

_"Hey, Lucia…you're getting better at sticks_

_One day you'll be a fine soldier_

_And no man would want to marry you…"_

"Marcus?" Lucia woke up in a daze.  She had dreamed of him again -- it was as if he was talking to her from Hades.  Suddenly, it became clear to her.  Taking out her brother's sword, she sliced a chunk of her hair and watched it fall to the ground.  Looking at the base of a bronze basin, she could not recognize her own reflection -- she looked younger with hair shorn like a boy.  Yes, she would become a soldier, just like Marcus and her father.  She would fight for Troy and avenge her brother's death.

In the dead of the night, Lucia finished putting on her brother's armor.  She took the sword and placed it in the scabbard to her left.  Lucia gently kissed her mother and whispered to Max, "Stay with mother."  Her faithful companion obeyed.

Untying her brother's horse, she secretly rode towards her brother's regiment.  She saw the lights of the camp ahead and began to have doubts.  _What if they knew she was a girl dressed in men's clothing? _

"Who goes there?" a loud voice interrupted her thoughts.  She looked up and saw two soldiers approaching her. It was too late to flee now.

Swallowing hard, she said in a low voice.  "Take me to your captain."

They took her to a large tent and told her to wait.  Soon she recognized the man who had told her about her brother's death – Captain Tyr.  A surge of panic came over her as she took a hasty step back. If they found out she was a girl, they would punish her.  

But the captain did not recognize her.  "Who are you? And what are you doing wearing this armor?"

"I am Lucanus, cousin of Marcus who perished in battle," she replied haltingly.

"Hmm, Marcus did not mention he had a cousin by that name," Captain Tyr said, rubbing his stubbled chin. "Perhaps I may have forgotten.  Have you been in a war before?"

"No… but I can fight like any man…err, soldier." Lucia was grateful that it was too dark to see her blush.

"Very well… We will ride at first light tomorrow and we'll see how you fare on the battlefield."

"Yes, sir."

"Show him a place to rest," he told the soldier beside her and re-entered his tent.

All around the camp, the men were huddled around fires, keeping warm.  There was a general feeling of melancholy among the soldiers as they talked in hushed tones. 

_"Did you see what Achilles did to the __Temple__ of __Apollo__?"_

_"He and the Myrmidons have no fear."_

_"Some say his mother is a goddess…and that he cannot be killed."_

_"What are our chances of victory when the Greeks have him?"_

Lucia refused to hear anymore of this talk and walked away to the courtyard.  No one, not even the mighty Achilles was going to stop her from avenging her brother.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I've taken the liberty in interpreting the war between the Trojans and Greeks but I kept most of the plot intact.

**Chapter 2**

"Hector?"

"I'm here, my love," he replied his wife, his arms braced against the frame of the window and shoulders tensed as he stood looking out toward the city.

"Can't sleep?"

"In two hours, it'll be daylight. I can't help worrying about Paris. Maybe it was a mistake to ask him to ride with me." He sighed as he bowed his head.

"It was Paris' choice. He has to accept the consequences of his own actions," said Andromache as she came to him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

_But he has no experience in war_. Closing his eyes, he tried not to think of the future as the thought of his little brother slain in battle was unbearable.

"Go back to sleep, my love," he whispered to her, breathing in the scent of her hair.

"If you promise to come back to bed," she purred, placing a kiss on his shoulder.

Hector nodded and turned his attention to the streets below. In the pale moonlight he saw a young lad, wearing an armor which was too big for him, swishing his sword from side to side as he practiced his stances in the empty courtyard. He observed the boy for some time with slight bemusement -- the young lad reminded him of his younger days; eager and curious. As a child, Hector could not wait to grow up – he'd wanted to see the world and learn new things. He had learned how to ride a horse when he was just eight and had tamed his first horse at the age of fifteen. His thirst for life had brought him to many countries and many wars. He had few regrets until the day he decided to take his brother to Sparta.

He was so angry when he saw what Paris had done that he almost wanted to throttle him right where he stood…

_"I love her and I won't ask you to fight my war," __Paris__ said naively._

_"You already have."_

%%%%%

"The Greeks are forming their positions," a soldier shouted as the Trojan army scrambled to theirs.

On the grassy plain, the two enemies were drawn up silently facing each other along the beach. Lucia sat rigid on her horse, facing the enemy, her heart pounding so loud she thought it would fall out. Prince Hector rode along the ranks of the army and the soldiers bowed as he approached, looking at him with great respect and admiration. Next to him was a younger man, clad in shining armor, shield and a silver sword sheathed by his side. Although he had some similarity to Prince Hector, he did not have the same commanding presence.

_It must be his younger brother, Paris_, she thought – the prince who had stolen the Queen of Sparta.

From the Greek battle lines, she saw five men emerging on chariots to meet Prince Hector and Prince Paris in the middle of the battlefield.

The soldiers waited with bated breath as their leaders met and to everyone's surprise, Prince Paris drew out his sword and prepared to take on a larger Greek warrior. The younger prince was no match for the Greek – it was almost too painful to watch as the Greek battered the Trojan prince. Lucia held her breath when Prince Paris crawled up to his brother and hugged his knees, begging him to intervene.

"Get up!" she heard Captain Tyr swear under his breath. The troops were shocked and dismayed.

The Greek began to advance toward the princes but before he could raise his sword, Prince Hector had pierced him with his. The Greek aggressor was brought to his knees and the battle had begun. The Greek soldiers charge towards the Trojan army as the princes galloped back to the city.

"Hold the line!" Captain Tyr shouted, looking up at the archers that had lined the walls of Troy. When the Greeks were almost upon them, the archers released hundreds of arrows in the air. The rain of arrows felled the enemy and sent them into chaos.

Suddenly, a resounding cry came out of no where. "For Troy!"

"TROY!" the army responded.

Led by Prince Hector, Captain Tyr let out a blood-curdling, primeval war-cry and charged forward to meet the Greek wave head on.

"Today I avenge you, brother," she muttered. Gripping the reins tightly, Lucia urged her horse to a full gallop.

Swords were flying as they attacked the enemy. Lucia charged at a soldier, slicing his head off with her sword. In this melee it is impossible to know who was friend or foe, and the images became so blurred that Lucia was soon lost in a mist of dust and noise. Suddenly, a Greek soldier threw a lance in her path causing Lucia to fall hard, felling her horse, amongst the soldiers. She got up still stunned from the impact. Lucia was caught in the middle, buffeted from side to side by a sea of heaving, sweating, bleeding bodies... she looked about her in a daze, but as a soldier attacked her, she managed to parry each thrust before lashing out and cutting the soldier's legs from under him.

Another soldier charged at her, Lucia slid past the oncoming sword thrust. She knocked the soldier with her shield and stabbed him. Looking up, she noticed a familiar figure battling scores of soldiers – the purple garb and the royal insignia. Prince Hector! He seemed to be holding his own, slashing and cutting down his enemies with swift precision.

Something made her turn and to her horror she saw the Greek archers preparing to unleash a rain on arrows on the unsuspecting soldiers. No! Lucia surged forward, pushing the prince to the ground just as the arrows were released and she held up her shield for protection. Several arrows struck it as the men around them crumbled. Prince Hector turned back and she could see that the prince was impressed by her bravery and tenacity.

"Fall back! Fall back!" he commanded his men. "We're too close to the archers!"

"We have them on the run, my prince," one of his commanders said.

"We do not want to make the same mistake. You've seen what our arrows did to them…"

Lucia stood knee deep among the bodies of the fallen, Trojans and Greeks alike, unable to comprehend the massacre that had just taken place. The Trojans managed to drive the Greeks back to their ships but was it enough?

One of his men brought the prince's horse to him. "Your Highness."

Prince Hector turned to her unexpectedly and held out his hand. "Ride with me," he said. He scooped her up in his strong arms and slowly turned her around so that Lucia could see over his shoulder: the entire beach, littered with bodies and bits of bodies. The reek of fresh, warm gore assaulted her senses as she gripped his shoulder.

"Are you all right?" the prince asked, noticing her discomfort.

Lucia quickly recovered and muttered an affirmative as they rode back to Troy. It was exhilarating and scary at the same time. When they reached the palace, the people surged forward to welcome their hero and they were curious as to who was riding with the prince. Lucia felt slightly embarrassed by the attention and quickly dismounted when they stopped in front of the palace steps.

"What's your name lad?" Prince Hector asked, his dark eyes piercing her soul. Lucia was dumbstruck by the prince's question.

"Take off your helmet before His Royal Highness!" one of the guards commanded.

Hesitantly, she removed her helmet and looked down. "Lucanus, Your Highness."

The prince regarded her in silence. "You were very brave out there," he said. "Troy needs men like you. I look forward to seeing you again."

"It is my honor to serve you," Lucia bowed in return. When the prince entered to his palace, she quietly backed away.

The weary soldiers returned to their families and the crowds dispersed. Lucia was walking back to her place and she saw her mother running out to her. "My child!"

"Mother," she whispered, hugging her tenderly. Her mother ran her hands through her short hair and down her cheeks.

"I knew the moment Marcus' armor was missing…"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," she said, tears brimming in her eyes.

But her mother put a finger to her lips. "Hush now…we must go in quickly."

In the evening, the victory celebrations were massive as King Priam and his royal family watched from the elevated dais. Youths and marriageable maidens were dancing with their hand on one another's wrists, the girls in fine linen with lovely garlands on their heads, and the men in closely woven tunics showing the faint gleam of oil, and with daggers of gold hanging from their silver belts. They ran lightly round, circling as smoothly on their accomplished feet; and there they ran in lines to meet each other. A large crowd stood round enjoying the delightful dance, with a minstrel among them singing divinely to a lyre, while a couple of acrobats, keeping time with his music, threw cart-wheels in and out among the people.

Lucia watched the celebrations with detachment. It was not a victory for her -- she had lost her horse in battle and she still didn't know the identity of her brother's killer.

"Lucanus!"

She whirled around in surprise and gasped -- it was Captain Tyr.

"I have been looking all over the city for you. His Royal Highness, Prince Hector wishes your audience at the banquet hall," he said.

Lucia took a hesitant step back and shook her head. "I only did my duty to protect my prince. I do not deserve such an honor, sir. Please may I be excused?"

Captain Tyr stared at her as if she had grown two heads. "What? You would dishonor the prince if you did not go."

Reluctantly, she agreed to follow the captain. Lucia had never been inside the palace before and she was awed by the hanging gardens and tall pillars that lined the passageways. She followed the captain in silence, absorbing in the rich atmosphere until she reached the banquet hall. The huge iron doors opened to reveal a long table laden with rich food and red wine as the men had their fill of roast boar, fish and wild birds. At the far end was Prince Hector, dressed in a simple brown tunic and sandals. He stood up and raised his goblet to his men, saluting them. "Today, we've shown the Greeks that Trojans won't go quietly into the night and we will prevail!"

The men cheered and downed their wine. Lucia approached the prince cautiously and bowed.

"Come and sit with me," Prince Hector said, beckoning her to a seat next to him.

She held her breath and obeyed. Captain Tyr who was beside the prince said, "Lucanus is the cousin of Marcus, our best rider."

"Yes, I remember Marcus. He was a fine soldier," the prince said solemnly. "You honor him by wearing his armor."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

"Where does your family live?"

"I don't have a family – my parents are dead but I have an aunt and a surviving cousin in Troy," she told a lie – well partly. "They live on a farm just outside the city."

"I have not been to the villages and farms in a long while. Perhaps, when this war is over," the prince said with a wistful tone. "Tell me, what do you wish for Lucanus? Gold, riches… women?"

The good captain slapped her back and laughed heartily. Lucia drew a sharp breath and felt her cheeks blush. "I am only a simple man. I do not wish these gifts. I only wish to avenge the man who killed my cousin."

Suddenly, the prince's expression darkened. "The man who killed your cousin is called Achilles. Have you heard of him before?"

Lucia nodded. "I only hear rumors about him – that he cannot be killed."

"He is a skilled warrior with the strength of a thousand bulls…if he were on the battlefield today then many more Trojans would have died by his sword," added Captain Tyr grimly.

_I would have had my revenge_, she muttered to herself but the prince did not hear her. The noise in the room lowered as all attention was focused on the tall and elegant woman who had just come in. Lucia observed her graceful walk and beautiful clothes – it indicated that she was of noble upbringing. The men rose from the table and bowed to her as Prince Hector greeted her with a kiss.

She realized that it was Prince Hector's wife, Princess Andromache. She had heard of her beauty immortalized in songs and poems. Suddenly, Lucia saw a window of opportunity to flee from the hall. She quietly edged herself away while the prince was with his wife. Nobody realized she had slipped away as they were busy drinking and celebrating. When she reached the gates of the palace, only did she breathe a sigh of relief. That was too close for comfort.

%%%%%

"My love, you have come to celebrate with us," Hector told his wife.

"I can't wait to meet the boy who saved your life," Andromache said, with a wry smile.

"He's here with me." Hector turned around and saw the empty space where Lucanus had sat. _Where did he go? How strange…_

"He was here a while ago." Hector shook his head in bewilderment.

"Perhaps he has gone after a pretty slave girl," she suggested, looking at the scores of young slave girls who danced and served the men.

Hector smiled and said, "I suppose he has."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Elhwesta –I was inspired by Mulan when I wrote the initial chapters of this story.

**Chapter 3**

The next day, the temple of Zeus was crowded with people that Lucia and her mother had to weave between hordes of worshippers to reach the blind priestess who had the ability to foretell the future.  The oracle was seated in a heavily covered tent, hidden from the eyes of the public.

Despite her protests, Lucia's mother insisted on seeing the oracle on this auspicious day.

Dressed in a pale blue robe and a veil to cover her short hair, Lucia stood stiffly in front of the tent.  "Do I have to?" Lucia asked in dismay and received a firm nod from her mother.  Her mother pressed some coins into her palm and gently nudged her inside.

"Go on," her mother said.

Dropping the coins into a basket, she knelt in front of the old priestess.

"Come here girl," the blind woman said, beckoning her closer.

Lucia was surprised that the priestess could tell she was a girl even before touching her.  She allowed the oracle to place her wrinkled hands on her face and hands. "Hmmm…very unusual indeed," she murmured.

Lucia waited patiently as she traced the lines on her palms.  "The path you have chosen is full of pain, terrible pain. Your life will be short," she said.  Lucia bit her lower lip and looked away but the oracle reached out and cupped her cheek. "You're very brave, my child but it's not too late.  Follow your heart and it will lead you to your destiny."

_What does that mean?_

Intrigued by the oracle's revelations, Lucia kept her words to heart and went away with her mother. 

"What did she say?" her mother asked anxiously.

She gazed at her mother and took a deep breath – she looked so old and frail that if she knew the truth, it would kill her.  Lucia struggled with her conscience as she contemplated her choices when the priestess' words came to her thoughts.

_Follow your heart… _

"The gods have given their blessing to my decision to become a warrior," Lucia finally said with a straight face.

Her mother gasped as she braced against the temple wall for support.  "What? Are you sure?"

Looking away, she nodded. "It's time you told Medea that the wedding is off."

With a huge sigh, her mother walked home in silence.  She felt horrible about lying to her mother.  "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I have to do this." 

At home, Lucia quietly packed her dresses and took them away to be burned.  It was late evening when she returned and found the person she least expected to see had turned up in front of her place.  Captain Tyr looked different out of his armor – he seemed less intimidating in a simple cloak and tunic.  Somehow, he had found where she was staying. 

_Had he been following her?_

Swallowing nervously, she crept closer and overheard his conversation with her mother.

"Did you say that Lucanus has gone out with his friends?"

"Yes, my lord."

"I was hoping to have a word with him.  Tomorrow, we'll be conducting a training session at the armory. It would be a pity if he missed it."

"I will inform him that you came by my lord."

"Thank you."

After Captain Tyr had left, she hurried back to her mother.  "What happened?"

Her mother looked worried.  "The captain wanted to see Lucanus.  You have to be careful.  I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Don't worry mother.  It can't be that bad," she said with an assuring smile but in her heart, she didn't have a clue of what was about to happen.

The next morning, Lucia had carefully disguised herself by wearing many layers of clothes – it added bulk to her small stature.  Bidding a hasty goodbye to her mother, she rode her horse to the armory.  The men, young and old alike stood at the peripheral of the courtyard, awaiting instructions.  Then one of Captain Tyr's commanders, Lysander rode into the center of the courtyard on his magnificent white horse.

"Listen up, you pathetic lot.  This is not a summer camp. When we're out there facing the enemy, some of you may not return… And it's my job to make sure you come back alive!" he shouted.

The men cheered noisily.

"Follow me!"  He reigned in his horse and galloped out of the courtyard.  The men including Lucia followed him through the streets of Troy on foot, from tunnels to trenches on a grueling trail.  They climbed the walls of Troy and ran along the narrow path circling the city.  Many had stopped to gape at the horde of Greek ships that had lined the shore – a thousand of them and it was a sight to behold.

"Stop staring and get on with it, you lazy lot!" Lysander roared. 

They continued to run and soon they passed alongside King Priam's palace.  The path overlooked the royal gardens and just beyond the white-washed walls, Lucia saw a man in the courtyard with a sword – his movements swift and precise, honed by many years of discipline and training.  She stopped for a closer look and realized the man was Prince Hector. 

_I wish I knew how to fight like that_, she thought.

Realizing she was falling behind, she quickly dashed after the group.

%%%%%

The sun was shining mercilessly on the tired recruits as they trickled into the courtyard.  Captain Tyr was already waiting for them.

"Form two lines facing each other.  We shall be practicing with wooden staffs today," he commanded. 

Lucia quietly followed instructions and found herself facing a fierce-looking opponent. He looked pleased that his opponent was a small 'man' – he growled intimidatingly at her.

"Begin!"

Taking a deep breath, she prepared to fight her larger opponent, guessing each parry and thrust accurately just as her brother had taught her.  After a few rounds, she sensed that her opponent was getting tired and his steps were heavy.  Taking advantage of his blunder, she whacked his shin with her staff followed by another thump on his head.  The man fell to the ground groaning in pain.  Pleased with herself, she looked up triumphantly at Captain Tyr hoping for some sign of approval but got none.

"I'm impressed.  Would you fight me?"

Lucia whirled around in surprise.  The rest of the men stopped their practice and stared at them.

"Your Highness." She quickly bowed to Prince Hector.

"Fight me," he repeated, holding out his staff.  Lucia sensed the tension in the air as the men expected an answer from her.

Shaking her head, she replied, "I cannot."

"Why? Are you afraid of me?"

Lucia gulped nervously and held her head high looking defiantly at her prince.  "You're not my enemy." 

Suddenly, Prince Hector grabbed her sleeve and pulled her close, whispering conspiratorially to her. "You tell me that you want to avenge your cousin's death.  What if I told you that I brought this war upon us?  What if I told you that I was willing to sacrifice the lives of my men so that my brother could have his prize?  Is that reason enough to fight me?"

She wrenched her arm away and fell back in shock.  "That … that cannot be true."

"Fight me."

_Had my brother been mistaken?  That he had followed a traitor to his death?  _

Fuelled by anger, she picked up her staff and charged at the prince.  Her movements seemed clumsy compared to the quickness of the prince.  He ducked and parried her attacks effortlessly.  He was the puppeteer pulling her strings in this flashy show of superiority.  Increasingly frustrated, she made a last ditch attempt by lunging at her opponent.  It was a mistake that had cost her.

The prince's staff struck her wrist, the pain shot up her arm and her staff fell in a clatter.  Another jab on her back and she was on her knees.  Lucia fought hard to keep the tears from her eyes as the pain seared through her body.

"Take my hand."

Humiliated and humbled, she looked up at the prince.  She clasped Prince Hector's hand and staggered to her feet.  He smiled and patted her shoulder.

"You need more practice if you wish to attain your goal," he said.

Lucia nodded, still dazed from the earlier repartee. 

"What are you looking at?  The show's over… go back to your homes now," Captain Tyr shouted and the men marched out of the courtyard.

Everyone was staring at Lucia, the 'boy' who dared answer Prince Hector's challenge.  They seemed to regard her with newfound respect. 

"Hey, you were very brave out there…"

"The last person didn't last half as long as you did."

She kept silent throughout the conversation, still deep in thought.  As they passed the whore houses, the women whistled and called to them promising pleasure and gratification.  Lucia squirmed at the attention but her fellow soldiers seemed to love it.

"Look at them!  Ladies love a man in armor," one of them said.

"That's right. My woman admires my strength and battle scars!"

The rest laughed and pretended to bat their eyelashes and feigned a faint. Lucia couldn't help but smile at their silly antics. 

"I like a woman with long golden hair and a pretty face!" one of them chipped in.

Another shook his head. "I don't care what she looks like…as long as she can cook."

"She'd better!" they echoed in unison.

"Later, my pretty ones!" They waved back to the women and went on their way.

"Lucanus! What about you?  What kind of woman do you like?" The group stopped and stared at her.

"Uhm, I never really thought about it," she gave a vague answer.

The men laughed and slapped her back.  "Ah – the pleasures of female company…You've much to learn boy."

As they passed the public baths, one of them said, "Lucanus, join us for a bath.  You look like you need one!"

"Yes!" The others readily agreed.

_Was this some kind of attempted male bonding?  _Her eyebrows shot up in alarm.

"No…no thanks.  I'm not feeling well.  I think I better get home," she stammered in embarrassment.  The thought of seeing naked men in the same room made her want to retch.  Lucia quickly sped off leaving a group of stunned compatriots in the middle of the street.

"What? Do we smell that bad?" one of them shouted and the rest laughed in jest.

Lucia flinched from the pain as her mother rubbed ointment on her bruises.   "The prince shouldn't be so heavy handed…" she grumbled.

"Mother, he doesn't know I'm a girl and rightly I deserved it," she found herself defending him.  "I don't expect any special treatment from him or from any other."

"Still…it won't do to have many injured soldiers out in the battlefield even before the battle starts," she shot back, obviously agitated.

Lucia hugged her mother.  "All right, mother.  I promise I'll be more careful next time."

"Philippa!" Someone outside was calling her mother.

She quickly opened the flap of her tent and found Medea and her son, Pollux at their doorstep.  Her mother smiled and asked, "Yes, Medea.  What brings you here at this hour?"

"_Him_," Medea answered with barely disguised anger, pointing to Lucia who was standing by her mother's side.  "I demand to know the reason you rejected my marriage offer.  My son tells me that this boy has been around your house a lot.  Is he the reason Lucia doesn't want to marry my son?""

Her mother was taken aback by Medea's accusation.  Lucia was angered that Pollux had been lurking around her place, spying on them.  She took a bold step forward and said, "My name is Lucanus, cousin of Lucia and Marcus.  What business is it of yours that I'm staying with my aunt?"

 "Where is Lucia?" Pollux demanded; his face white with fury.

"Lucia has decided to become a priestess in the temple of Athena and devote herself to knowledge and study.  Lucanus has nothing to do with her decision," her mother replied calmly. 

"WHAT!"

Both Medea and Pollux were shocked.  The temple of Athena was situated deep in the mountains and her priestesses vowed to a life of seclusion.  Lucia was impressed by her mother's ingenuity.  Silenced, Medea flounced out of the tent but Pollux was not satisfied with the answer as he stared daggers at Lucia.  "We'll see about that."

When they were gone, Lucia leaped happily.  "Mother, you're a genius!"

%%%%%

"Why the deliberate show? The boy was no match for you," Captain Tyr said as he escorted Hector back to the palace.

Hector smiled. "Keep an eye out for him.  He will be a great warrior someday."

"Yes, Your Highness."  The captain looked bewildered but he merely dismissed him.

"You may go now.  I have to attend my father's council tonight."

Later that night, he saw the same lad in the courtyard, practicing his stances with a bronze sword.  _The boy was relentless,_ he thought. 

Briefly gazing at his sleeping wife and child, Hector grabbed his cloak and went down to the courtyard.

As he approached the darkened courtyard, he recognized the boy immediately – Lucanus.  But before he could show himself, another person had appeared so he decided to stay in the shadows and watch the event unfold.

"What do you want?" Lucanus demanded.  He looked like he knew the stranger.

"A duel, Lucanus," challenged the pale stranger.  "I don't believe a word your aunt had said.  You've taken Lucia, stolen her from me.  I demand satisfaction. Prepare to fight."

Lucanus laughed as if he was not afraid of this man.  "I accept!  But if I win this duel, you'll never show your face to my aunt and cousin again.  If you win, I will leave Troy."

"You'll never see tomorrow!" Pollux spat with vengeance.

"We'll see about that." 

Pollux charged at Lucanus with his sword whirling in the air ready to strike.  Bronze swords clashed as the men parried and deflected each other's blows.  Pollux grunted as he swung his sword at Lucanus who easily jumped aside and retaliated with deadly accuracy, wresting his opponent's sword from his hand and punching him in the jaw with his free hand.  Pollux fell back, cursing loudly.  It was clear that Lucanus was the more skilled warrior.  He had his sword pointed at Pollux's throat before he could reach for his.  "I could kill you now and end your miserable life."

Pollux was whimpering like a frightened rabbit in the face of a lion.  "Please spare me!" he begged.

"Get out and don't let me see your face again!" Lucanus withdrew his sword.

Pollux scrambled to his feet and fled from the courtyard.   

"I can see why your fair lady prefers you over that whiner," Hector said, stepping out of the shadows.

Lucanus stared at him in astonishment.  "How did you…"

"I saw you from my window.  You've been practicing on your own every night."

"I recall it was you, my prince who told me I needed more practice," Lucanus retorted, seemingly annoyed at the intrusion of privacy.

Hector became thoughtful.  "Tell me something…you seem to have a death wish wanting to fight Achilles.  Even I don't wish to fight him, if I can help it.  I saw him throw a spear from a hundred yards and kill one of my captains on the spot."

"I'm not afraid."  Lucanus' voice wavered but he straightened and put on a brave front.

"Then you are foolish."

"Marcus was like a brother to me and Achilles took away the only person I loved.  If I kill Achilles, many Trojans will be saved from his sword and if not, I will die fighting for my country."

"It is obvious that I cannot deter you from your chosen path," Hector said with a sigh, turning away.

"Wait!" Lucanus hesitated a little. "The things you told me earlier today… I know you said it to provoke me to fight but still…I need to know that my cousin didn't die in vain."

Hector turned around and gazed into the boy's eyes.  "He didn't die in vain."

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Ever since that night, Prince Hector had frequently met her in the courtyard, offering tips on fighting skills and sometimes just to talk. Lucia sensed that he was not always in agreement with the council's decisions on defending the city and frustration was setting in.

"My father listens to his priests more than he listens to me and day by day, the number of soldiers dying is getting larger," he lamented, the disappointment evident in his eyes.

But not all their conversations were of gloom and doom; there were times when they did share a joke or two. Prince Hector would blink and shake his head at something she had said, not catching the punch line. It was endearing to see him smile -- like a silver lining on a cloud.

_Hold on dear prince. The war will end soon,_ she longed to tell him. But till then, she would continue to kill every Greek soldier that threatened her beloved homeland.

Battle after battle she fought the Greeks who had refused to leave their shores. Many were slain by her sword as she dispatched them with cold indifference – she could no longer feel any compassion or pity. She hated them for ruining her life and causing the misery of her people. Soon the reputation of the fearless warrior "Lucanus" began to spread among the ranks. Even Prince Hector preferred to have 'him' by his side during battle – they had shared a trust that few understood.

Upon returning from yet another victory against the Greeks, Prince Hector and his army rode back to the palace. Thousands of onlookers lined both sides of the road and cheered. Women at their balconies threw flowers and waved. "Lucanus! Lucanus!"

Prince Hector turned to her and smiled. "Do you hear that? They are cheering for you."

Lucia blushed deeply and quickly rode on ahead. When they arrived at the steps of the palace, they dismounted. King Priam and Princess Andromache came forward to embrace the prince while Lucia stood a few feet away together with the other Apollonian Guards.

"You must be Lucanus."

Startled, Lucia turned and saw a young girl smiling at her. She had an aristocratic demeanor and was dressed in richly embroidered robes – a noblewoman of King Priam's court. "Yes, I am," she replied.

"I heard you're very brave and handsome," she said as she stepped closer.

Lucia instantly took a hasty step back. Glancing at Prince Hector, she could tell he was amused.

"And I'm glad to say the rumors were true. My name is Calista. Please don't be afraid…I made this for you," said the young girl. Despite the dirt and bloody armor, she put a garland of flowers around Lucia's neck. Giggling like an infatuated teenager, she blushed and ran back into the palace.

"I think she likes you, my friend," Prince Hector said with a smirk while his wife, Princess Andromache quietly observed her.

Lucia was stumped. "Oh…err…I…uhm…"

Seeing her discomfort, Hector laughed. "Go home. Drink and make love to your woman. You've earned it."

Lucia grimaced at the suggestion – when she had decided to become a warrior under disguise, she didn't count on young girls falling in love with Lucanus!

One day, while she was training with the other soldiers, she was summoned to Captain Tyr's tent. Once inside, she saw the general and his captains planning another offensive against the Greeks. The only person oddly missing was Prince Hector. _Where was he?_

"Lucanus!" Captain Tyr exclaimed. "Come. Let me introduce you to General Glaucus."

"My lord," she bowed, still wondering why she was summoned. So far, she was told to do what was required of her.

"Lucanus…Prince Hector speaks fondly of you and his assessment is seldom wrong," the old general said. "Achilles and the Myrmidons have refused to fight this war for the Greeks which put us in an advantage. However, many soldiers still fight for King Agamemnon, the scourge of Troy. If the king dies, the Greeks will leave."

Lucia stood in silence, absorbing the words that were spoken. "What would you have me do?" she asked finally.

"I want you to infiltrate the Greek base and kill King Agamemnon."

She stared dumbfounded at the old man with many years of experience in war. "I'm sure King Agamemnon's tent would be fortified and heavily protected. It would be difficult…"

"Ah, but not impossible," added the general. "I am recruiting ten of my finest men to undertake this mission. I was hoping you would accept."

It was a suicide mission -- there was no honor in assassinating the king in this manner but if it meant the Greeks leaving Troy then so be it.

"I accept," she replied after much hesitation. Before she took her leave, the general said, "I hope you will treat this with utmost secrecy. No one must know about it."

Lucia bowed and said, "I will."

%%%%%

While strolling in the gardens, Hector saw his wife sitting together with the other noblewomen, cradling their son on her lap. Despite the threat of the Greeks, the women of Troy were busy putting up lights and weaving garlands of flowers to celebrate the festival of Apollo, their patron god. Andromache looked up at him and her eyes were full of love. His father had been right when he chose this woman to be his wife – in the face of adversity she was the epitome of grace and calm, keeping the hopes of the people alive by helping them in any way she could. While he was on the battlefield, she helped organize the distribution of food and rations, visited the sick and injured. For that, Hector was deeply grateful for her efforts.

Although his was a political marriage, he grew to love Andromache over the years. Theirs was not a passionate love but a quiet and gentle one.

Smiling back, he went in search of Lucanus. Hector didn't really understand why, but for some reason he looked forward to their late night meetings in the courtyard. His heart felt lighter whenever Lucanus was around. He had noticed it with the other soldiers as well, in that they all seemed to be more optimistic when he was with them. Hector smiled at the thought. He had never thought he and Lucanus would become close friends, not after the way he had panicked on the beach that first time.

It was a different boy standing next to him now. Lucanus had grown past the uneasiness of war and death. He had put aside his fears, willing to risk everything in times of danger for his fellowmen. The boy had earned his respect.

Hector had been tutoring Lucanus to master the sword and spear for the past few weeks and he was getting bored.

"Let's do something different this time. How about hand to hand combat?" he suggested to Lucanus

The boy shrugged, looking slightly uneasy.

"No. You know you'll take me down easily, so why bother?"

"…Because you need to learn, Lucanus. Come on."

Lucanus reluctantly assumed an attacking position, and Hector did likewise. At his signal, they began to circle one another. He was impressed by how light Lucanus' footsteps were, and how limber he was when moving. However, he saw that Lucanus was still watching his face, searching for signs in his eyes of how he was going to attack.

"Watch my body movements. They'll let you know how I'll come at you. That's it, keep your eyes focused."

Hector leaned to the side suddenly, moving to tackle him from the left. Surprised by the move, Lucanus tilted his body to avoid him and retaliated with a succession of complex hand combat moves. Hector managed to catch his hand before it landed on his face and twisted it back. Lucanus winced in pain and elbowed his side, breaking the contact. Regaining his balance he maintained his battle stance.

"I'm sure Tyr taught you that," he remarked, smiling at him. "All right…again."

This time, Hector feigned a right tackle then proceeded to lash out with his leg, tripping Lucanus and rendering him defeated on the ground. Lucanus glared at him, eyes firing up to the challenge. "That's not fair!"

"I don't fight fair…now get up." He held out his hand but Lucanus had other ideas.

Suddenly, he found himself on the ground. It was only a split second that he let his guard down and Lucanus dove for his feet, knocking the wind out of him. He tried to lock Hector down with his body but Hector managed to give him the slip and rolled on top of Lucanus, pinning him down on the ground. They lay like that for a few moments, their faces merely inches apart and Hector was drawn to the boy's eyes – there was something strange in them, something he couldn't quite fathom.

Lucanus seemed to shudder slightly.

Hector was about to say something but he decided against it – it must have been his imagination. He slipped back into the persona of the grim prince, his back stiffening as he stood.

"That was good," he said. "Keep up the good work."

The boy nodded as he brushed the sand off his tunic. "Yes, my prince," he replied.

Hector winced slightly at the formality and said, "Lucanus, I give you permission to call me Hector. All my friends call me by name."

%%%%%

Lucia stared at the prince, still dazed from their earlier encounter. _What had just happened?_

She was all flustered when he leaned in close to her. It the first time she had seen the warmth radiating from his eyes. Lucia quickly shrugged off the feeling and tried to concentrate on the reason why she came this night.

The instructions were clear – their mission was to disguise themselves as Greek soldiers and sail into enemy territory in fishing boats and seek out King Agamemnon. They had been secretly training long and hard for this mission. _This is for __Troy__,_ she told herself.

She wondered if Prince Hector was aware of their mission. If he knew about it his expression did not show it. Bound by her word, she did not say anything to the prince.

Lucia knew they had to leave on their mission tomorrow night. They were prepared and were ready to move on the general's order. But she felt she needed say goodbye to her prince and friend.

"You seem disturbed. What is it Lucanus?" he asked, looking concerned.

"I just want to say that it has been an honor to be your friend," she said rather vaguely.

"…And I am honored to have you as a comrade in arms. My wife says she will sleep better if she knew you're by my side," he replied with a grin.

_But I will no longer be by your side, my dear prince…_

Lucia didn't have the heart to tell him so she merely nodded and allowed the moment to pass.

On a moonless night, the group assembled at the armory and slipped out of the city through a secret passageway. The boats were already waiting for them as planned.

Unbeknownst to them, a pair of eyes watched the whole scene silently and smiled viciously.

%%%%%

That night, Hector had waited for Lucanus but he didn't show up. He was albeit disappointed when he saw the empty courtyard. _It wasn't like Lucanus to disappear without telling him_, he thought worriedly.

As he was walking back to the palace, he overheard hushed voices behind the deserted marketplace and noticed some movement in the shadows. He recognized the voices to be that of General Glaucus and Captain Tyr. Hector wondered what they were doing and listened quietly.

_"They've gone?"_

_"Yes. They would've entered the Greek camp by now."_

_"By sunrise, we'll know if they've succeeded or failed."_

The two men nodded and went their separate ways. Sensing something was not right, Hector followed Tyr until they were alone on a narrow street. "Tyr!" he called in a loud voice.

Tyr whirled around in surprise. "Your Highness!"

"What is going on?"

"I…I don't know what you mean," Tyr stammered.

On seeing Tyr's hesitation, Hector pulled out his dagger. "I overheard your conversation with General Glaucus at the back of the marketplace. Something has happened in my absence. Tell me now or I'll cut off your tongue!"

With his head bowed, Tyr revealed him about General Glaucus' plan to assassinate King Agamemnon.

"Why didn't anyone consult me about this?" he demanded angrily.

"We had strict instructions from General Glaucus not to discuss this mission," Tyr replied with a deadpan expression.

"And Lucanus?"

"He's with them."

_Damn!_ He cursed inwardly. "Summon General Glaucus to my father's chambers. Now!"

In King Priam's chambers, Hector and General Glaucus stood staring at each other with unrestrained resentment. King Priam was quietly contemplating the recent events.

Turning to his son, he said, "Glaucus has fought many wars for me. You cannot deny that if this mission is successful, Troy would be saved."

"You've sent these men to their death. Where's the honor in assassinating the Greek king?" Hector asked, glaring at General Glaucus.

"It's not a matter of honor, son. It's a matter of saving the lives of many Trojan soldiers," his father said. "This war is taking a toll on our city and our resources. We cannot continue to wage war with the Greeks."

"The men knew the risks," the general defended but was silenced by Hector's piercing stare.

Hector began to pace his father's room restlessly. "We have to rescue them."

"…But son, you are needed here," said King Priam.

"Father, I won't let them die out there without honor," Hector replied resolutely.

His father looked at him and finally gave his blessing. Quickly, he met his captains outside and ordered, "Assemble the Apollonian Guard."

%%%%%

From their boats, Lucia could see the Greek camps with their fires dotting the beach. Her heart was pounding furiously as she felt like a lamb led to a den full of wolves.

After tying their boats in a secure location, they climbed the slippery rock face that lined the south shore and made their way to the Greek camps. Their leader, Lysander scanned the surroundings and suddenly gave a signal – two Greek sentries were patrolling the area. They fell back behind a huge rock.

In a swift movement, he crept up behind the unsuspecting soldiers and slit one of their throats. Lucia grabbed the other fleeing sentry and slit his throat to prevent him from warning the others. Their bodies were hidden behind some rocks as they proceeded toward the camp in silence.

The group dispersed and mingled among the Greeks, drinking and eating with them. Lucia looked at the men in her company; faces she would see in battle and faces she would never see again. They were merely ordinary men answering the call to war; men who had wives and families. For the first time, she understood the despair that Prince Hector had felt -- he wasn't just talking about the Trojans but the Greeks too.

After drinking with the men, Lucia stood up and took a short stroll along the beach. She spotted the largest tent, built on a ship. The royal insignia indicated it was King Agamemnon's tent and she saw two muscular guards standing outside. On the far side of the beach near the temple of Apollo was another tent. This tent was rather isolated and even the Greeks dared not venture close to it.

_Achilles_, she thought. That must be Achilles' tent.

Revenge was calling out to her as she boldly walked towards it but was pulled back by Lysander. "What are you doing?" he asked in a hushed tone.

"The Myrmidon camp," she told him.

The captain took one look at the tent and said, "We don't want to have anything to do with the Myrmidons. Remember our mission Lucanus. We cannot fail."

"But…" Clenching her jaw, she forced herself to walk away.

Lucia and Lysander climbed up the ship and hid behind some wooden crates near Agamemnon's tent while the rest had taken positions nearby. Taking out his blade, Lysander cut a slit in the tent and peered inside. Then he turned to Lucia and nodded. Agamemnon was in his tent, probably drunk from too much wine.

They crept into the lavish tent, full of the spoils of war looted from Apollo's temple. Empty jugs of wine were scattered on the floor as they side stepped the broken pieces. On the bed was the king asleep under the covers. Lucia held her breath as Lysander raised his sword and plunged it into the king's sleeping form. Immediately the bed was soaked with blood. Lysander pulled away the covers and stared in horror – on the bed was a man tied and gagged and it was not King Agamemnon!

Turning to Lucia, he said, "It's a trap!"

"Guards!" a voice exclaimed.

They whirled around with their swords drawn and found themselves surrounded by Greek soldiers. Then the real King Agamemnon appeared, looking very pleased. "Welcome to my humble abode," he said with a snicker. "Don't worry about your fellow Trojans outside – they are all dead…I suppose you want to know who gave you away. Bring out the Trojan traitor."

Lysander growled and his jaws clenched when they brought out a bruised and beaten young man. Lucia paled as she recognized the man instantly – Pollux!

She seethed inside. "How could you betray your own country and your own people?"

Pollux threw his head back and laughed. "I will gladly exchange my allegiance to Troy if I can have your head, Lucanus. For this, the gracious King Agamemnon has promised me riches and wealth once Troy is conquered," he sneered. "You never know what tales drunken men tell."

"You will pay for this traitor!" Lysander roared and attacked at the guards as they tried to fight their way out. More soldiers poured into the tent preventing them from escape when all of a sudden, the battle horns sounded, warning an attack. "It's the Trojans…they are coming!"

Hope swelled in her heart. It must be Prince Hector -- he had not abandoned them.

The soldiers were at a loss about what to do. Agamemnon's face contorted with fury as he screamed, "Kill them… kill them all!"

Lysander threw her a look as he said, "Run Lucanus…"

Lucia hesitated but her leader had thrown himself fully into battle with the soldiers, allowing her to escape. But there were too many of them as three soldiers ran him through with their spears. Lysander collapsed as Agamemnon drew his sword and sliced off his head.

Survival instincts kicked in as she hacked through the soldiers ignoring the sting of their blades on her body. She managed to reach the edge of the tent and leapt down, tumbling into the soft sand. Bloodied and dazed, she turned back and saw the Apollonian Guards led by Prince Hector sweep into the Greek camp on their horses. The situation was chaotic and the confusion made it difficult for the Greeks to regroup. In the commotion, she saw Pollux running away and chased after him.

With a loud cry, Lucia lunged at his legs and brought him down. Pollux struggled to block her angry blows and managed to kick her away. Lucia tripped on a stone and fell to the ground. Pollux had grabbed a long piece of wood nearby and seeing her defenseless, a crooked smile appeared on his battered face as he realized he had the upper hand. She backpedaled and her hand touched the hilt of a sword in the sand and gripped it. Before he could pummel her with the wood, she sprang up and thrust the sword into him.

Pollux was shocked at the sudden twist of fate as he stared at Lucia. Without remorse, she shoved the sword further into his chest and said, "Look at me Pollux…the 'man' you hate so much is none other than your intended bride!"

"L…Lucia!" His eyes widened with recognition as he sank to the ground at her feet.

"You deserve death, traitor!" said Lucia as she kicked him down.

She withdrew the sword from his body and turned to look for a way to escape when she felt a crushing pain on her shoulder -- an arrow had struck her. Lucia dived behind some wood structures as she tried to stay away from the archer's range. Unfazed, she seized the arrow and yanked it out of her flesh ignoring blood that had splattered all over by the suddenness and violence of her action. She looked at the arrow before throwing it aside. She heard the sound of galloping horses and tried to stand but her head started spinning and her knees buckled. Then everything went blank.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thanks for your encouraging reviews. I hope you enjoy reading the rest of the story.

**Chapter 5**

_Moments before…_

A Greek sentry was standing on a bluff facing the walls of Troy. It was a quiet night – there was nothing unusual going on as he warmed himself by the fire. "What song are you playing?" he asked the sentry next to him who was plucking his lute. The soft strains of music echoed through the isolated place.

"It's a folk tune from my village in Ithaca," he replied as he began to sing –

_"Take me home to the meadow that cradles my heart;_

_where__ the waves reaches far as you can see_

_Take me home to the meadow we've been too long apart;_

_I can still hear you calling for me…"_

The two men sat in silence, each lost in his thoughts until one of them said, "You should teach me that song someday."

Then, he looked out toward the sand dunes and spotted a swirling dust cloud which seemed to be heading toward the camp. He turned to his friend and asked, "What is that?"

His friend merely shrugged his shoulders. "I'm going to take a closer look."

He grabbed his spear and ran down the bluff while the other stood watch. He stopped when he heard the thundering sound of galloping horses. There were about twenty of them. _Someone must have accidentally let out the horses,_ he thought. _But where did they come from? The gods must have sent them._

He smiled at their good fortune and was about to call his friend. Suddenly, a spear flew through the air and punctured his throat, killing him instantly. The soldier who was standing on the bluff saw the unexpected attack and quickly fumbled for his horn but the enemy had already reached their camp.

%%%%%

Hector had ordered the horses to be set free through the secret passageway. His plan was to steer the horses toward the Greek camp while his men rode among them. They kept their heads low and their bodies close to the horses' backs. Using the dust and wind as cover, he managed to get close to the unsuspecting Greek sentry and hurl his spear. The spear had hit its target, felling the sentry as the horses trampled over him.

At his signal, the Apollonian Guards rose from their saddles and drew their swords. Hector and his men had breached the Greek barricades and slaughtered the dazed and sleepy Greeks. The sound of horns had warned the Greeks of their presence and he knew they didn't have much time.

"Find them!" he ordered his men.

Hector looked hard for Lucanus and he saw Achilles had come out of his tent. Their eyes met across the chaos but Achilles didn't move. _My battle with you is not tonight,_ he seemed to say.

Suddenly, a disheveled looking girl came out and stood beside Achilles. Hector did a double take when he realized it was Briseis, his cousin whom he thought was dead. Briseis recognized him too as she tried to run to him but Achilles held her back. Instinctively, he wanted to charge at Achilles but he saw that his cousin was calm and unafraid of the Greek warrior as she turned to him and said, "Go! Achilles will not stop you."

Without wasting any more time, Hector guided his horse toward Agamemnon's tent. His men were locked in fierce battle with the Greek soldiers bent on protecting their leader. If they were to find Lysander and his men, they had to do it quick before the rest of the Greeks armed themselves. Time was slipping away like the grains of sand when he noticed some movement at the back of the tent – there were two men fighting. Hector recognized one of them instantly.

_Lucanus__! _

But his happiness was short lived when he saw an arrow zip through the air and hit his friend. Hector saw him fall and his heart nearly stopped beating. _No!_

He urged his horse forward, caught hold of Lucanus and swung him behind his saddle before the Greek soldiers got to him. He turned his mount toward the city in full gallop as the enemy came at them with weapons. He met Captain Tyr and asked, "Have you found the others?"

"They are all dead, my prince," he replied.

"Pull back!" Hector shouted and the Apollonian Guards abandoned their siege on the Greeks. They formed a tight formation around the prince, protecting him from the arrows that rained on them.

Behind the safety of the city walls, Hector brought the now limp Lucanus down from his horse and carried him to a healer's tent. Putting him down on the makeshift bed, Hector wiped his brow, leaning in very close to feel his pulse and whether his mouth exhaled breath. "You're alive."

Lucanus tried to clutch his wound, but he stopped him. "Don't touch it. You'll be all right."

Turning to the healer, he said, "He's hurt! Attend to him immediately."

While he stood a few feet away, the healer peeled back the blood soaked tunic, exposing the wound above a pale breast.

"Your Highness!" he exclaimed, staring at his patient.

Hector hurried over to the healer's side. A cold, sick feeling settled in his stomach as he realized Lucanus was not a man but a woman! He became conscious that he was staring and quickly averted his gaze. _How could this be?_

_She should not be here,_ he decided and wrapping her frail body in his cloak, he lifted her off the bed and turned to the healer. "Tell no one about this."

The healer bowed. "Yes, Your Highness."

Once outside, he bumped into Tyr.

"Where are you taking him?" Tyr asked worriedly.

"I need a place where I can have privacy," he replied.

"Then come to my place," Tyr offered.

In a small upper room of Tyr's house, Hector put her down gently on the bed. The cloak was soaked through with her blood as he un-wrapped her frail body.

"By the gods!" Tyr exclaimed in astonishment when he saw that Lucanus was a woman.

"Get the palace healer here now," Hector said in a low voice.

Tyr was speechless but he nodded and quickly disappeared. Suddenly, a bloodied hand reached out and grabbed his sleeve.

"I have to go back to the battlefield…" she mumbled, unaware of her surroundings.

"No, you are hurt…"

"But the others… "

"The others are dead," Hector said solemnly.

She started to cry. "…and Prince Hector?"

"He is safe."

Hector sighed wearily. Even in this critical moment, she still thought of her prince. He did not deserve such dedication and devotion, especially from a girl. Tearing a piece of cloth from his tunic, Hector applied pressure on her wound to stop the bleeding. "You're going to be fine. Listen to me. You must stay awake for a little while longer," he said in a soothing voice.

"I…I'm trying," she said. Her face became deathly pale and her body was starting to spasm. "I…I'm c…c…cold."

"Don't worry. I'm here," Hector told her as he covered her with more blankets.

The palace healer came a few minutes later and Hector quickly moved aside to allow him to treat her. The good captain offered him some wine while they waited anxiously by the fireplace. "It's taking too long," Hector said, looking desolately at the closed door.

"Fear not, my prince. She's a tough one…she'll make it," Tyr said, his words offering little comfort to the storm that was raging in his heart – the secret mission and her true identity made him doubt what was real anymore.

Finally, the healer came out and Hector jumped off his seat. "How is she?" he asked.

"She has lost a lot of blood but I've given her some medication…she will be unconscious for the next few days."

Hector sighed with great relief as he sprinted up the stairs to her room. He sat by her side, gently brushing away the stray hairs from her face -- she looked like a child sleeping peacefully.

_Why do you hide who you are?_ he mused, staring at her.

As the sun began setting in the horizon, Hector stayed by her bedside while contemplating what had to be done…The soldiers must never find out that Lucanus was a woman – according to the ancient laws, a woman found serving in the army would be severely punished. Hector didn't want that to happen to her.

Standing up, he was determined that 'Lucanus' must never serve in the army again. After leaving her room, he met Tyr and gave him specific instructions – he was to find out her real name and if she had any living family members in Troy. Everything she needed was to be met, such as food, clothing and a roof over her head.

"Lastly, I don't want her on the battlefield again," he added to which Tyr nodded. "I will come by again to see her progress."

As if he understood Hector's silent request, Tyr said, "It's my fault that she was injured. I will take care of her."

"I trust you will keep her identity a secret – I don't want to see her hurt again," he said as he prepared to leave.

"I will," Tyr replied.

%%%%%

At the steps of the palace, Hector saw a young girl waiting for him – it was Calista, his wife's handmaid. She looked agitated and restless.

"My prince," she bowed hastily. "Have you any news of Lucanus? I heard he was out there among the enemy."

Hector looked at her and he could tell that she was in love with the 'boy'. Alas, Lucanus could never reciprocate her feelings. What he had to do was cruel but to allow her hope was even crueler.

Taking a deep breath, he told her a lie. "Yes, he was. He died fighting for his country."

Calista gasped as tears started to fall. "I…I was hoping he would come with me to Aphrodite's festival next week. He shouldn't have gone…he was so young."

"The gods have decided his fate. May he find peace in death. But you, Calista, you still have a future ahead of you. In time you will forget this pain as there will be many eligible young men out there waiting for you," Hector said.

She didn't look convinced but she said nothing. With a bowed head, she went away.

Andromache had stayed awake, waiting for him in his chambers when he returned. Hector saw her but didn't utter a word as he removed his armor and washed himself.

"Your father said you and your men had attacked the Greek camp," she began.

"…to save our men," he added, rubbing his face with a clean towel.

She got up from the bed and stood in front of him. "But the men were already dead – General Glaucus told me so."

"Glaucus is an old fool…" he replied bitterly.

"When I heard you were out there, I was afraid. Hector, you've never acted in such a rash manner before. It's like you went insane and tried to get yourself killed," she said as her dark eyes bore into his.

Hector stiffened and turned away. "You've never questioned my judgment on war matters. Why now?"

"…because I don't want to lose you. All I have in my life now is Astyanax and you," she answered, stifling a sob.

Sighing, he turned around and held his wife's shoulders. "You're not going to lose me," he said firmly.

Andromache mumbled, "I'm sorry… I shouldn't allow my fears to overcome me."

Hector drew her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. "Hush now. We don't need to argue over this. There was one thing that came out of this -- I saw Briseis."

She pulled away in surprise. "Briseis?"

"She's alive but she is being held prisoner."

"Poor Briseis…it would be better if she had been dead."

Hector did not comment as he looked out the window toward the horizon.

%%%%%

The next day, the Trojan council had received a nasty message from King Agamemnon – it was to be expected since the mission was a failure. Now the Greek king was even more determined to destroy their city. Hector looked at the towering walls of Troy and wondered how long these walls could withstand the wrath of the Greeks.

"You have many things on your mind, love."

Hector turned to his wife and smiled ruefully. "There are factors in this war that we are not in control of. My father keeps saying the gods are on our side – we've nothing to fear. The truth is I'm afraid for you, for our son, for our family…"

_For Lucia…_

That was Lucanus' real name – Lucia. He had met Lucia's mother, Philippa on one of his visits to Tyr's place. She was a woman of sixty who had lost her husband and only son in wars against Troy's enemies. She had almost lost her daughter that night. Tyr had sent for her and brought her to see her daughter. He also gave her a place to stay so that she could be by Lucia's side.

_"Please do not blame my daughter, Your Highness," she said, falling on her knees._

_Hector rushed to her and held her up. "I don't blame her… I just want to know why she did it."_

_Philippa__ looked at him and said, "She had to watch her father and her brother come home in a box. She had to bury those she loved. There's much pain in her heart than she cared to show. And that pain is what drives her to what she is today." _

Back to the present, he looked at his son, Astyanax playing with the wooden lion he had whittled while he was in Sparta and sighed. _Life was much simpler then…_

While he was cradling his son in his arms, a young slave boy came into his chambers and said, "I have a message from Captain Tyr for His Highness, Prince Hector."

Hector placed Astyanax with his mother and opened the note. The message simply read "_Lucia woke up this morning."_

Crushing the note in his hand, Hector took his sword and prepared to leave.

Andromache rose from her seat to follow her husband. "Is it from the army?"

"Yes," he answered, avoiding her curious stare.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: This is my favorite part of the story.

**Chapter 6**

Lucia's eyes fluttered open as she tried to adjust to her new surroundings.

"Lucia?"

She focused on the face and the voice; they sounded familiar. "Mother," she cried out in a raspy voice. A dog's bark made her smile when she saw Max wagging his tail happily. Lucia tried to sit up but a sharp pain to shot through her entire body and she groaned.

"Don't move too much. You've lost a lot of blood," her mother said.

Lucia breathed in a lungful of air and realized she did not die instead she was in a strange room. Her chest was covered with blood-soaked bandages.

Her mother gave her a gentle hug. "Thank the gods. You were asleep for many days."

Looking around the room, she asked, "Where am I? How did you get here?"

"You're in Captain Tyr's house."

Lucia paled as she stared at her mother.

"He knows."

"Oh."

There was a knock on the door and Captain Tyr appeared. Upon seeing the captain, she wanted to explain herself, "Captain, I…" but the captain held up his hand.

"You needn't explain Lucia. Your mother told me everything. But I feel there is another person who would very much like to meet you. He has asked about you everyday."

Lucia's heart sank – she knew he could only be Prince Hector. He had known her as 'Lucanus' and a friendship had been formed out of deception. She wondered how hard he took the news of her real identity.

"He will be here soon," the captain informed her.

Lucia swallowed nervously and nodded. Turning to her mother, she said, "Can I have a mirror? I'd like to look nice for the prince when he arrives."

"Of course."

Her mother used a wet towel and gave her a sponge bath. She rubbed fragrant oils on her stiff limbs and then taking a brush, she gently smoothened the tangled hair on her head. The water in the bronze basin had mixed with blood by the time her mother had finished changing her bandages. "There you go…" she said, standing up to look at her handiwork. "Now you're ready to meet _your_ prince."

Lucia blushed at the double entendre. "I just hope he is not angry with me."

Max was snoozing at her feet when a brief knock on the door alerted him as he growled -- Prince Hector had arrived. Lucia felt a surge of panic but her mother squeezed her hand assuring her as she took her leave. "Max, come with me," she said and led the dog out of the room.

Prince Hector strolled in, dressed in a blue and gold tunic, looking every bit the royal. He stood near the door and waited.

"Your Highness," she greeted him.

"Luca…Lucia," he corrected himself. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel as if I've been hit by a huge thunderbolt." She laughed nervously. He didn't smile.

She could feel the tension in the room. Their relationship had changed somehow. They used to able to joke and tell each other stories but now he was cold to her, not in actions or words, but she just felt so...isolated from him. And while she was ecstatic to see him, his indifferent attitude towards her pained her heart.

"Thank you for saving my life. I heard the others had perished that night," she said in a trembling voice. Closing her eyes, she could still see the horrifying images of her dead compatriots.

"Nine of my best warriors…" The prince's expression was hard and his tone bitter. "If only I had known sooner, they would still be alive."

"It wasn't your fault," said Lucia as she tried hard to keep the tears from falling. "It was mine…if I had not chosen this path, none of this would happen and those men would not have to die. He hated me so much that he was willing to betray his country just to see me dead."

Prince Hector looked as if he wanted to tell her something but hesitated. She was saddened that he had withdrawn from her -- to a place where she could not go. Instead he muttered brusquely, "If we knew what was going to happen in the future, we all would do things differently. You will continue to stay here until you are well again. I'll see to it."

He was about to leave and she knew it was too late to salvage their relationship but she had to try. "Wait, please."

He paused for a moment without looking at her.

"I'm sorry I deceived you. I had tried to tell you my true identity but I didn't know how you'd react," she muttered. "Please don't hate me..."

"I don't hate you," he said with a sigh and left the room.

Lucia stared at his retreating figure and burrowed into the pillows, weeping softly. She felt as if she had lost a dear friend.

%%%%%

It had been a while since Hector saw Lucia. He had missed their conversations in the courtyard and he found himself thinking about her. She had hidden her true identity so well that even the great Prince Hector himself could not have known until that fateful day. It was all clear to him now -- the clues were obvious as he pondered in hindsight.

_"I'm tired of talking about the war. Tell me about your lady love, Lucanus…what's her name? Is it Lucia?"_

_"Lucia is my cousin and she has gone to the __temple__ of __Athena__ to become a priestess."_

_"You must have been devastated by the news."_

_"She was rather unique – despite her tomboyish surface, she has a good heart…"_

Hector smiled despite his disappointment – she had actually described herself.

_"Then you have not wooed her enough. Let me give you a hint…Women may be impressed by heroic acts and deeds but once in a while, they love to hear poetry."_

_"Huh?"_

_"Yes, poetry praising her beauty, intelligence and wisdom... It is not merely reserved for the gods. Tell her how beautiful her hair looks when the sun shines on it, how flawless and smooth her skin to your touch and how her smile could light up your day…"_

Hector stiffened and realized now the words held new meaning to him. He was worried sick when she was injured and perhaps in his own selfish way, he did not want to lose a friend who had become someone he grew to care about. He had been taught to detach himself from all emotions in battle -- it became his shield against the reality and the pain. But Lucia wasn't even supposed to be there at all...

He looked down at the empty courtyard and felt an ache in his heart. Growling in frustration, he returned to his chambers and tried to sleep.

The next morning, Hector was riding back from the armory and he decided to visit Lucia. As he approached his destination, he heard the clash of metal in the backyard. Carefully, he dismounted and walked to the back of the house and saw Lucia practicing her sword fight with Tyr – for the past few days, Tyr seemed to be in a hurry to get home. Now Hector knew what he was up to. He could also see that Lucia looked a little happier now and her eyes had regained their special sparkle. They were sharing idle banter and Lucia was laughing. Hector's chest tightened at the sight of them together -- they looked good for each other.

He watched them, his face impassive as he lingered for only a brief moment before turning and walking away.

_At least, she has found her happiness…_

The war with the Greeks had intensified and Hector had to be present at council meetings that spanned long hours. Whenever he came back to his chambers in the wee hours of morning, Andromache would be fast asleep. In the stillness of the night, he never felt lonelier than this moment.

One day, he came back and saw a few women had gathered outside his chambers. "What's the matter?" he asked one of them.

"It's your wife, Prince Hector. She fainted in the hall this morning…"

Hector immediately pushed through the crowd and rushed to Andromache's side – he felt angry that he wasn't there when she needed him most. Guilt gnawed at him as he saw how fragile and weak she had become.

"I promise I'll make it up to you, my love," he whispered to her, his voice quivering with determination.

Andromache's her eyes snapped open and a smile appeared on her face. "Hector, I thought it was you."

He sighed with relief and hugged her. "I shouldn't have left you alone. I'm sorry."

"You had your work to do and a war to fight. I should have taken better care of myself," she said sheepishly.

Hector stared at Andromache -- the woman he had married and the mother of his son. He should have thanked the gods … the dedication she had put into her duties as future queen of Troy and the devotion she had showered on her family was astounding. And all this while, he had yearned for something that could never be his.

Lucia was…Lucia was only a girl who could never love him… a wishful thought that could never come true. They were two different people thrown together in the worst of times. He should forget her, put all the niggling thoughts behind him and focus on his family.

Hector bent down and kissed his wife. "Rest my love. I'll tell Father that I will not attend the council tonight."

%%%%%

Early one morning, Lucia wore her greaves and put on her armor while Max looked on. The wound on her shoulder had barely healed and the pain added to the discomfort but she refused to think about it. All she could think of was going back into the field again. She heard Captain Tyr talking to his men outside the house and rushed out with her sword and spear, followed by her dog.

Captain Tyr cocked an eyebrow. "Where are you going?"

"With you to the battlefield," she replied calmly and looked around. "Where is my horse?"

"Lucia, I have my orders. You cannot come with me."

"But…but…my wounds are completely healed."

"I'll speak with you when I come back," he said and rode off to join the other riders.

Lucia paced her room like a restless panther, ready to pounce on anyone who dared come in her way. She kept looking out the window hoping the captain would return soon. Her mother looked at her and shook her head. "Lucia, please stop your pacing. It's giving me a headache," she said.

"I'm sorry," she muttered and sat down uneasily. It didn't take long before she exploded, "Why hasn't the prince called for me? Why hasn't ANYONE called for me? Am I not needed any more?"

"You've just recovered from your injuries, Lucia. Have patience," said her mother.

"Patience!" she shouted in frustration. "Trojan soldiers are dying out there!"

"Lucia calm down. You're going to aggravate that injury of yours," Captain Tyr said with a weary voice as he stepped in.

She whirled around and smiled, her mood improved significantly. "Tyr, you're back!"

He merely nodded and went to the basin and washed off the blood and dirt from his hands and face. Lucia quickly brought clean towels for him and poured him some wine. The captain took the goblet from her and smirked. "I think you'd do quite well for a warrior's wife."

Lucia quickly withdrew her hand from his. "Don't start!" she warned him angrily and flounced up the stairs, her feral scream echoed through the house.

%%%%%

"I love her when her fires are stoked," Tyr muttered to Philippa as he watched Lucia with mild amusement. "She's certainly something."

"She can be quite a handful sometimes," Philippa replied.

Later that night, he found her sitting on the roof gazing emptily at the city lights below —she had calmed down somewhat. He climbed the roof and sat next to her. "Forgive me, Lucia. I only meant it as a joke," he apologized.

She sighed. "Every night, I keep hearing the war drums in my head, beating so loudly it's bursting my ears…"

"Please understand. It's hard on a man's pride if they had a woman fight for them," said Tyr.

She stopped and stared at him, disappointment evident in her eyes. "So that's it. I'm not allowed back on the field because I'm a woman."

Tyr quickly added, "I didn't mean it like that, Lucia. You know the law -- women are forbidden on the battlefield." Seeing her deep frown, he sighed. "I'll speak to Prince Hector. Perhaps he will be able to convince you."

She looked away without a word; the once confident Lucia had become insecure at the mention of the Trojan prince. He knew they had shared a deep friendship and the bond was shattered when the prince had found out that she was a girl. Tyr had recalled the prince's words clearly.

_"I don't want to see her hurt again."_

The next day, Tyr rode to the palace and found the prince sitting in the temple while the priests chanted prayers. The frown on his face disappeared when he saw Tyr.

"Offering your prayers to the gods today?" Prince Hector asked with a wry grin.

"My prayers are for another time, my prince. I've come because of Lucia," Tyr answered.

The prince suddenly jumped up in alarm and gripped his arm. "What has happened to Lucia?"

Tyr was surprised by his reaction. "N…nothing."

"I see." Prince Hector released him and leaned against a pillar.

"In spite of her injury, she wanted to join us in battle yesterday. I'm afraid that I may not be able to prevent her from going to war much longer. You have to talk to her. She'll listen to you," said Tyr.

Prince Hector seemed hesitant but in the end, he nodded. "I'll see her tonight."

%%%%%

It was getting late and doubts were beginning to form in her mind as Lucia waited for Prince Hector's arrival. Her mother had already gone to bed and Tyr was out with his friends. The candles were fading and the wind grew cold as she shivered.

_He would never come…why would he be concerned about her? _

"Lucia."

She recognized the voice immediately and quickly opened the door. Her heart fluttered at the sight of Prince Hector, standing at the doorstep dressed in a simple grey tunic. But bitterness came over her as she could guess what he was going to say.

"I suppose you're here to say the same thing – I'm a woman and I'm not supposed to be out there. Well save it. I've heard enough." She turned and left the door open.

"Tyr believes that you will listen to me but apparently, he was mistaken," Prince Hector said as he let himself in and stood by the fireplace.

"Do you have wine?" he asked, attempting to change the subject.

"Yes, Tyr keeps some in the cabinet," she replied dully. Lucia brought out a bronze goblet and poured some wine for the prince.

"Thank you." The prince drank deeply and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Tyr knows good wine."

She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.

"The good captain seems very concerned about you – I dare say he's quite fond of you," he observed.

Unnerved by his question, she rose from the table and snapped, "I have no feelings for him."

"Tyr is a good man. He could provide for you and your mother," he pressed on.

"Why are you saying all this? You know I can fight like any other soldier on the field…Let me fight for you. Let me fight for Troy!" she pleaded. "And if it's the will of the gods, then let me die on Trojan's shore!"

"No."

"I am not afraid of the punishment that the council would mete out on me if they found out who I am. What I fear most is being left behind, when all is lost and there is nothing I can do about it," she said, wringing her hands in desperation.

But Prince Hector did not yield to her pleas. "I cannot allow it."

Lucia shook her head in denial as she staggered back. Even the prince of Troy would not allow her to fight, would not allow her the vengeance she sought. She saw Tyr's dagger on the shelf and grabbed it.

"Lucia!" The prince froze in horror.

"Stay away from me!" She wielded the dagger and brought it to her neck. "If you don't let me fight then I'm useless. I may as well end my life right here!"

Prince Hector swiftly grabbed her wrist, pried the dagger from her hands and flung it away with such force that it became embedded in the wall. "Stop it! You think this is all a game, don't you?" His words were harsh as he nearly throttled her.

She had never seen him so furious before and it frightened her. All of a sudden he pulled her into his arms and hugged her. "I'm sorry," he whispered with a gentleness she was not accustomed to. "I won't be able to live with myself if anything happened to you." He held her for a long while and almost reluctantly, he released her.

Lucia stared at her prince, puzzled by his actions. What exactly was he trying to say? Could it be true?

_Leave it unsaid,_ she prayed. Unspoken words were the safest of all -- you aren't my type, you're years older than I am, and you're a prince and future king of Troy. Why should an arrow and three months make a difference?

"I have to leave now," he told her curtly and before she could reply he was gone.

That night, she was unable to get any sleep as she tossed and turned under the covers. The signs were all wrong? How could Prince Hector be in love her? Only a fool would think so. He had always regarded her alter-ego as a 'brother', a comrade in arms. The war was supposed to harden her heart and make her incapable of feeling but she couldn't understand why she felt this way. In the back of her mind, she remembered the words of the oracle, _"Follow your heart and it will lead you to your destiny."_

She sat up and gazed at the moon outside her window. It was fate that brought Prince Hector into her life but was it fate that they would fall in love?

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

A/N:  Major angst in this one…

**Chapter 7**

At first light, Lucia sneaked out of the house.  She knew she had ignored Prince Hector's order so she decided she would stay in the back lines and provide support as a foot soldier.  Her shoulder was weak but she still managed to slay a few Greeks on the battlefield.  In the midst of the skirmish she did not see the enemy coming toward her from behind until a spear whistled past her ear and pinned the Greek soldier to the ground.  She looked back in shock and saw her savior on horseback riding away.

_Could it be Prince Hector?_ she thought.  _Whoever it was, he had saved her life._

Cursing her carelessness, she charged into the foray with renewed vigor.

Once again, the Trojans had successfully quelled the Greek onslaught and Lucia went home satisfied.  Peeling off her armor, she undressed to her waist and started to wash off the blood and grime from her face and body.  Lucia was pleased with herself -- no one had recognized her or so she thought.

While she was washing, Prince Hector barged into her room.  He was still wearing his armor as he tore away his helmet.  He was angry…very angry.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he roared as he grabbed her wrist and spun her around.  Without warning, he kissed her brutally.  She struggled and squirmed in his grip but the feel of his lips against hers sent her emotions spiraling.  The hands that intended to push him away now clutched his shoulders, her knees weakening.  Lucia moaned softly when he nuzzled her jaw and kissed the sensitive spot just below her ear.  He whispered hoarsely into her ear, "Why do you defy me?"

"I'm not the kind who would wait for her man to return from war," she replied breathlessly. She stilled, inwardly cursing her slip of tongue – now he knew her true feelings.

"And you're the most stubborn and infuriating woman I know," he murmured.

Instead of scolding her, he smiled and kissed her slowly this time, beseeching her. She opened her mouth to him and he got his first taste of her. He moved his hand down from her chin, to her neck, to her chest. Then he held her breast in his hand massaging it slowly. Lucia moaned into his mouth, pressing into his touch.  Hector swept her into his arms and walked toward the bed.

He placed her gently down on the bed and said, "Lucia…"

She interrupted him with her hand to his lips. "No.  I don't want romantic words or declarations of love. I don't want to think about what we're doing now. All I want is to feel you."   
  
His eyes sparkled in wry amusement at the concept of a lover who didn't want romantic declarations, but he followed her rules and didn't say a word while he made her moan.  Hands quickly discarded any clothing that came in their way.  
 

He was naked now, pushing her tunic off the rest of her body. He nuzzled at her neck, one hand teasing at her breast, the other cupping her bottom. She clung to him and closed her eyes, wishing that he wasn't so good at doing this to her...making her gasp and scream and writhe and sob. 

Their lovemaking was passionate as they spent hours kissing and exploring each other intimately.  The sun had already touched the horizon and the sky had darkened.  Lucia realized he had to leave.

Hector managed to prop himself up enough not to crush her with his full weight. Kissing the side of her neck, tongue soothing the light bite mark he'd made, he didn't say a word as he got up and dressed.  Brushing her cheek with his fingers, he smiled and left.

%%%%%

Putting on her tunic, Lucia came out of her room and saw her mother standing in the hallway, her face pale and her eyes sad.  She suddenly felt vulnerable under her mother's stare.   

"Mother –"

"Lucia, I saw him come out of your room," she said with a sigh.

"Mother, I… I'm sorry," she muttered, looking down in shame.

But her mother came and hugged her.  "Is this what you want Lucia?"

She shrugged her shoulders dejectedly.  "I don't know."

But she knew one thing – there was nothing Hector could do to make her change her mind.  Vengeance was still very much ingrained in her heart.  If Hector thought their night together would change her, he was wrong.  

The next day, she rode into camp in full armor.  The soldiers waiting at the gates stared at her and whispered among each other, their weary faces lit up with smiles.  "Lucanus is back! He's alive!"

Ignoring their stares, she cantered towards Prince Hector and his Apollonian Guards.  He was discussing something with his men when she halted in front of them.  She could feel his gaze on her as he regarded her in silence.  Captain Tyr looked uneasy but he said nothing.  Lucia boldly met the prince's gaze and said, "You need warriors…here I am."

The men waited for his answer.  "You'll ride with us," he finally said and rode out toward the city gates. 

Tyr rode next to her and said in a low voice, "There are many men out there who miss their women…"

Lucia turned to him.  "Don't worry, I will protect _you_," she whispered.

"Welcome back," he teased as he rode on ahead.  Lucia smiled and galloped after them.

Neither Lucia nor Prince Hector spoke of their night together or how their relationship had changed.  He never had to worry about her as she could hold her own battles against the Greeks. She had fought alongside him in the day and warmed his bed at night.  So far, he had kept to her rules and did not utter a word when he made love to her.  They had been discreet about their meetings, but she sensed that Tyr knew of their affair but he chose to look the other way.

In the dim room, she traced her lover's handsome face as he slept, wondering how he had suddenly come to mean so much to her. Or maybe she had reckoned everything wrong. Perhaps her heart had always been that way, even long before that night ever happened. Maybe that was why having him close felt so right…why loving him came so easily.

As the days went by, Lucia was blissfully happy – she had never felt like this since her brother died.  _Perhaps the gods have looked kindly on me,_ she thought, unaware of the potential danger she was in. One day, her mother came to her and said,

"Lucia, a few days ago a woman was hanging around the house asking a lot of questions about you. She could be a spy from the palace."

Lucia bit her lip nervously, wondering if they had already suspected who she was and her relationship with the prince.  She was lost in her thoughts until her mother touched her hand. 

"Please be more careful, my daughter.  You may have the prince on your side now but when he is gone, there's nothing to prevent the palace officials from taking you away."

Lucia shuddered at her mother's words.  _Hector would never leave her, would he?_

%%%%%

Princess Andromache stood quietly in her chambers listening to Calista, her handmaid.

"Your Highness, I have followed the prince's movements for the past few days. It is true that he is seeing someone, a girl who is staying at Captain Tyr's house."

Andromache closed her eyes and searched for calm in the midst of raging emotions. She had noticed a change in her husband's behavior -- he was not cold or distant to her, in fact he still cared about her and Astyanax but his thoughts were often far away.  There were times when she woke up to find him gone in the middle of the night.  Now her suspicions were confirmed.

_I don't want this -- to know my husband has fallen for another._

"What is her name?" she demanded.

"Lucia -- rumors say that she also rides with him to battle," Calista replied.

She remained silent, breathing in deeply.

_What do I do? After this, what do I do? _

_It's alright when you can just imagine there's no face, she's not real _

_And you can tell yourself it's all right but she's real…_

_I could reveal her secret to the council and have her punished…_

_But that would hurt Hector and drive him away from me…I cannot allow that to happen._

"My princess, what do you want me to do now?" Calista asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"Nothing yet but don't speak a word to anyone about this."

Calista bowed and went away.

With a heavy heart, she decided that the girl should be brought to the palace and presented to King Priam as Hector's royal concubine.  She didn't like having the girl so close to Hector but it had to be done.

"I will speak to Hector when I see him," she told herself and turned to her son asleep in his cot. "…for the sake of the family, for the sake of our son."

%%%%%

One night, Hector came by her place, looking agitated.  He had attended his father's council earlier and something had made him uneasy. 

"What is it, Hector?" she asked, holding his hands.  She could see the frustration in his beautiful eyes.

He sighed.  "My father wants me to take the fight to the Greeks… to destroy them."

"But you do not think this is wise," she stated.

"The Myrmidons are still with them – Achilles is still with them."

At the mention of Achilles' name, Lucia tensed.

"I will go with you," she decided. 

Wordlessly, he drew her into his arms and kissed her forehead.  Snuggling in the crook of his shoulder, she sighed in contentment. 

"Tell me, sweet Lucia… what will you do when the war is over?" he asked.

"Hmmm, I'll go back to my farm – plant wheat and barley, go deer hunting, swim in the Scamander River you know… do the things that I missed doing," she replied absently.  

"It sounds wonderful."

Lucia sat up and gazed into his eyes. "As long as you're with me, it will be wonderful."

But he looked away and said, "I think this calls for a little celebration."

"Isn't it a little too soon to celebrate?" Lucia was confused by his sudden change in mood.

"Why shouldn't we? The gods have predicted a victory for us and I have the bravest and fairest warrior this side of Troy at my side," he teased, pinching her nose playfully.  "Go.  Bring me some wine and put on your best dress."

Lucia didn't think it was an odd request and obeyed.  She brought a jug of wine down and put it on the table. Then she went behind the curtain and rummaged through her clothes. She managed to find a deep red dress that belonged to her mother.  She didn't think she would need such a pretty dress but tonight, it was perfect.  Rubbing some perfume on her body, she put on the dress and tied a red rope around her waist.  Lucia suddenly felt nervous as she stared at her reflection in the mirror -- Hector had always seen her in armor and plain tunics, never in a fine dress.  She closed her eyes and tried to calm her trepidation.  Taking a deep breath, she stepped out from behind the curtain.

"What do you think?" she said, blushing hotly under his intense gaze.  She didn't realize how beautiful she looked to her lover – the pale moonlight accentuated the whiteness of her skin in contrast with the dark red dress she wore. 

Holding out his hand, he said, "Come here."

She approached him and noticed his jaws tighten as he passed a wine goblet to her.  "To us," he said, lifting his goblet.

Lucia smiled.  "To us."

After her second glass, she began to feel tired and dizzy.  "This is strange," she mumbled.  "I usually don't feel anything –"

Dropping her goblet, she slumped into Hector's waiting arms.

%%%%%

Hector looked at Lucia, asleep on the bed.  The medicine had worked – she won't be awake until his troops had marched out to meet the enemy.  He didn't want to do it but he decided she would be better off inside the city. 

"I'm sorry, my sweet.  I cannot let you ride with me this time," he whispered and placing a kiss on her cheek he left her room.

%%%%%

Last night felt like a hazy dream as Lucia woke up to her dog lapping her fingers.  "Hey, Max…"

Her head felt like lead as she struggled to get up.  She nearly stumbled as she stood up too fast and everything started to spin.  Leaning against the wall, she peered out the window.  The sun was shining brightly and the city unusually quiet.  _Where is everybody?_ she wondered.

Lucia tried to remember the bits and pieces of the night before.  Hector had said something about bringing the war to the Greeks and she gasped in horror.  Everything started to fall into place – the wine was drugged.  He didn't want her to be out there.

Furious at his betrayal, she tried to reach the door but her feet refused to move and she collapsed to the floor in tears. 

Her mother had heard her cries and came running into her room.  "Lucia, what's wrong?" she asked, helping her to the bed.

Lucia gripped her mother's arms and said in a desperate voice, "You have to help me."

Philippa helped her daughter to the rooftop so she could see the battle that had taken place on the beach.  Twenty thousand men had marched into the Greek camp and there was fighting everywhere.  The Greeks had pushed the Trojans back to the grassy inland plains and suddenly the fighting came to a halt.  Lucia was shocked at the scene that unfolded before her eyes.  The Greeks and Trojans had moved apart – the Trojans back to the city and the Greeks to their ships.  From afar, she could see her beloved Hector mount his horse and lead his men home.  She felt a sudden chill in her heart; something had gone terribly wrong… but what?

The rumors in the city were rife.  Some said that Prince Hector had killed the great Achilles.  Others said it was not Achilles but one of the Myrmidons or some Greek king. 

It was late noon when Lucia recognized Tyr from a distance and rushed out to meet him.  "Please tell me that Prince Hector had killed Achilles," she said, holding on to his breastplate.  Tyr refused to look her in the eye and walked into the house. 

"Tyr, you're my friend … pray tell what had happened out there," she pleaded.

"It was a mistake," was all he said.

"What are you talking about? What mistake?" she urged him on, refusing to let him go.

Sighing wearily, Tyr said, "Today, Prince Hector killed a boy.  He mistook him for Achilles and killed him.  The boy was Achilles' cousin."

Lucia fell silent as she turned to the direction of the palace.  _Oh, Hector…what have you done?_

The city and its people were asleep unaware that their days were numbered like the sands of time, slipping into oblivion.  Standing on her balcony, Lucia shivered as the cold winds blew. Max whimpered and she turned to her dog, rubbing his ears affectionately.  "Even you feel the cold touch of Hades…come inside," she told him.

Eventually she settled by the fireplace and had fallen asleep, curled around her pet.  Max jerked his head up suddenly and howled.  Sensing that someone was in the room, she reached for her dagger by her side.  But a strong hand held hers.  "It's me." 

"Hector!"

She cried and hugged him, all misunderstandings forgotten.  "I missed you," she whispered.

He didn't say a word as he carried her to the bed.  Slowly, he undressed her and put her gently unto the soft mattress.  He stripped off his tunic and slipped under the covers next to her.  Propping himself up on one elbow, he smoothed back stray tendrils of hair and kissed her with a gentleness that she'd never seen from him before. Tonight, he took his time making love to her.  Lucia was drawn to him like a moth to a flame – mesmerized by the lights dancing in his eyes, unable to look away.

His smile was loving and tender and it frightened her more than the thought of dying. Her arms reached up around him and pulled him close, moaning softly into his ear as she came.     
  
They lay entwined on the rumpled sheets. He continued to stroke her hair, his hand brushing her cheek to the back of her ears. "I know you didn't want words. Once, I might have been able to, but not now. And I may be many things, but I'm not a heartless bastard. And I want to say that I love you."

She sat up and looked at him.  Something inside of her broke at his words, at his expression. His eyes were sad, his mouth trembling; it was a look she had never seen on his face before. "Hector…"

"Hush, my sweet," he whispered. "There is a secret passage in the palace, beneath the shrine of Apollo that leads to the other side of the mountains.  When the Greeks breach the city walls, I want you to go there.  Take this seal...  with this, my father will know that I sent you."

She stared at the marble seal in the palm of her hand.  "But I want to stay and fight," she pleaded.

"Lucia, for once please obey me…I cannot fight Achilles if I worry about my family… about you," he said, holding her.

Lucia's eyes widened as she pulled away from his embrace.  "You're going to fight Achilles?"

"Yes.  I know he's coming for me.  If I die, I don't want you to despair.  The city of Troy will fall and when that happens, promise me you'll be safe."

She felt the weight of all of Troy, the sorrow and the reminiscence of a peaceful era long gone resting on his shoulders. The expression on his face told her this could be their last night together. She shook her head, unwilling to believe that their time together could be so cruelly cut short.  Her worst fears had suddenly become a reality.

Holding her shoulders firmly, he said, "I need you to do this.  Please say you'd do it for me."

Tears started to stream down her cheeks as she muttered, "I promise."

Pressing his lips to hers tenderly, Hector rose from her bed and dressed.  "I have to go now."

In silence, Lucia brought the rope to his tunic and lovingly tied it around his waist, her hands moving gracefully around his body.  She pulled him closer, listening to the rhythm of his breathing. She tried to memorize everything about this moment; the way he smelled, the sound of his heartbeat, the feel of his warm and solid arms. 

Hector covered her hand with his and gazed deep into her teary eyes.  She reached up and cupped his face.  "You'll come back."

Her lover merely smiled. "Goodbye, my sweet." 

She could think of nothing to say that would make him stay, save the one thing she was too frightened to confess. She watched him walk out the door.  Trembling with fear and loss, she ran after him. 

"Hector, I love you," she finally said, unsure of whether he had heard her but he stilled for a moment and went on his way, without looking back.

Early in the morning, Lucia jostled with the crowd that had filled the viewing areas above the city walls.  The day was hauntingly beautiful; the sun was shining brightly and the warm sea breeze caressed her skin.  She looked toward the palace and saw King Priam and his advisors sitting under a blue canopy and her beloved standing at one of the wall's turreted corners.

From the sea a lone chariot approached the city gates.  Lucia dug her nails into her palms as she watched the man they called Achilles step down from his chariot and shouted for Prince Hector.  This Greek who had killed her brother now sought to spill the blood of her beloved.  She saw Hector walk up to his father, King Priam then to General Glaucus and to Prince Paris.  It was heartrending to see Prince Hector say farewell to his family – he held his head high and stood tall in the face of certain death.  Hector had reflected all aspects of a true Trojan warrior and hero as he walked out to meet the great Achilles.

Everything seemed ethereal to her after that – the two mighty warriors had clashed on the grassy plain.  She flinched as Achilles swung his sword at Hector.  She had never seen a man with such prowess and strength before as she realized why Hector did not want her to battle Achilles; he was the force of nature itself.  She gripped the side of the wall so tight until the stone made her fingers bleed. 

She could see her prince growing exhausted and Achilles taking the advantage plunged his sword into Hector's heart.  Lucia's scream was drowned by the groans of the crowd as they watched their hero fall.  She stared in disbelief as Achilles tied a rope to Hector's ankles and dragged him behind his chariot back to the Greek camp.  The crowd started to disperse in silence but Lucia stood rooted to the spot for a long time.

"Lucia…Lucia…" a voice called to her.

She turned but her eyes were glassy.  "Mother?"

"Let's go home now," her mother said as she gently held her bloodied hands.

Nodding dumbly, she allowed her mother to lead her home.

Lucia did not sleep that night as every time she closed her eyes, she would see him, feel him and taste him.  Staring out from her balcony, she wiped away tears with her bandaged hands. There would not be another night like last night, with Hector beside her. Tonight he was far from here, separated from her by the cold, black void.

"Have something to eat, Lucia.  You need your strength," her mother said, putting a plate of bread next to her.

She shook her head.

Her mother gently cupped her chin and made her look up at her.  "Prince Hector died a warrior's death but the real heroes are those who survive and move on. Mourn for him if you must but I want to see you happy again."

In the middle of the night, Lucia wandered into the old courtyard where it all began.  She shivered as she could almost hear his voice, his laughter in the wind. 

_Come at me with everything you've got…_

_I swear a woman could do better than you…_

_Lucanus__, you'll be a great warrior…_

A sudden noise distracted her as she went to investigate the cause.  From behind a huge pillar, she watched King Priam and his men taking a body wrapped in a white shroud down from the chariot.  Then she saw Princess Andromache weeping over the body and froze.

_Hector…_

He had come back to his people.  She envied Princess Andromache who had held him in her arms, his family who had gathered around to weep for him because they could.  Turning away, she walked home alone.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: This is the last chapter. Thanks for following this story so far…

**Chapter 8 - Conclusion**

Lucia was not at the city square where thousands had gathered round to pay their last respects to their hero and favorite son, Prince Hector of Troy. Instead she chose to watch from afar as the fire consumed her beloved's body, taking it to the heavens. Pulling on her cloak, she headed straight for the temple of Apollo as she knew that the priests would take his ashes there.

Late in the evening, the priests had brought the prince's ashes back in a golden urn and placed it in the royal family mausoleum. When they had gone, Lucia removed her cowl and walked silently toward the urn. Sculptured statues of the gods stared down at her, cold and monumental as she shivered from the wind that blew through the temple. The moment her fingers touched the icy cold urn, her calm composure cracked as tears began to fall. There was only the two of them now.

She sank to the floor and rested her head against the marble stone.

"I know I shouldn't be here but I had to be near you…just one more time," she muttered between sobs. "This place seems so wrong for you…it's so cold and silent. You were warm and gentle."

She did not hear soft footsteps behind her and jumped when a voice demanded, "Who are you?"

Hastily drying her tears, Lucia looked up to find Princess Andromache, eyes boring into her like needles. Her hair was tangled and her face gaunt and despite her sadness, there was still a regal air about her.

Lucia bowed my head submissively. "Your Highness. I didn't know anyone was here at this time of the night."

Her eyes narrowed. "You're her, aren't you?"

She caught her breath in her throat when the princess reached out and took her chin in her grasp, raising her eyes to hers. Lucia sensed that she was searching for falsehood. Then she released her and sighed. The princess looked sorrowful and drained as she revealed something shocking.

"The night before he died, he told me something that broke my heart -- he told me about a brave woman he had met, a woman whom he loved."

Lucia gasped and lowered her eyes. "I didn't know."

"I refused to believe it but seeing you here now… I know you loved him and you love him still…" she said, gazing at the golden urn.

"Forgive me, my princess but I do," Lucia replied softly.

"Don't worry, I will not harm you. If you agree, I will make arrangements for you to stay at the palace. It would have been what Hector would have wanted – to bestow the honor of royal concubine that you rightly deserve," said Princess Andromache, her voice devoid of emotion.

_Titles and honors mean nothing to me…I would gladly forsake them if I could have him again._

Lucia wanted to tell the princess but she had turned and left the temple. "I never wanted any of these," she whispered sadly.

She returned to find Tyr sharpening his sword outside the house. He looked so forlorn, echoing the sentiments of every Trojan in the city. He saw her and put down his sword.

"Lucia, you were gone for a long time. Your mother and I were worried about you," he said.

"I'm all right. I went to the temple."

Tyr caught her hand as she was getting into the house. "I know you loved Prince Hector and probably nobody could replace him in your heart. This may not be the most appropriate time but I want you to know that you still have me. I'm willing to wait until you're ready to accept me."

"Tyr…"

But he quickly added, "Just say you'll think about it."

Lucia looked at the tall captain who clearly had great affection for her. She reached up and gently touched his stubbly cheek. "I will think about it," she replied earnestly.

Tyr gave a sigh of relief as a spark of hope glistened in his blue eyes.

The Trojans had peace for twelve days but on the thirteenth day, a strange thing had happened. Lucia could not believe her ears when the soldiers ran through the streets shouting, "The Greeks have gone! The Greeks have gone!"

At the gates of Troy, she saw this massive wooden structure that looked like a horse. The crowds flocked to it – men, women, soldiers cheering, dancing and singing songs in the square. They said the Greeks had left it behind to appease the gods. Lucia didn't like the look of it but somehow she felt relieved that the war was over. Her mother was already packing their things; they were going back to the country at last.

Carefully she packed her armor, shield and sword – a stark reminder of her past. She won't need it again for a long time. Her thoughts went to her home; the little farmhouse by the Scamander River, the wide fields and plains. There would be lots to do; fencing to mend, fields to clear for planting.

"You're leaving."

She recognized Tyr's voice and looked up. "Yes, my mother and I are returning to the country in the morning," she said.

"If I asked you to stay, would you… stay?" he said, the desperation evident in his voice.

Lucia gazed at the good captain and wondered if she should marry Tyr – she would have a handsome sturdy husband and beautiful children. She would watch them grow up and have children of their own but somehow she knew that it was not a life for her -- she would end up hurting him. Taking a deep breath she shook her head. "You're a good man Tyr… and a good friend but I cannot accept your affections."

Tyr understood and said no more.

"But I'd like very much for you to come and visit at our farm," she offered and was glad to see him smile.

"That will be great. Thank you."

"We're friends and so it shall be," she declared, hugging him.

"Friends…"

The peaceful night was disrupted when Lucia was awakened by women screaming and men shouting. "Run for your lives!"

Suddenly, Tyr banged on her door. He had a haunted look on his face. "Lucia, wake up! The Greeks have breached out city walls…"

Lucia stared in astonishment. "What can I do?"

"I'm going to the armory…save as many as you can!" he said. She stared at the brave captain as he rode off into the chaos and something in her stirred.

Grabbing her sword, she rounded up as many people as she could and led them to safety. The city was dying as the buildings began to burn. The Trojan soldiers turned and ran in blind panic, mowed down by the enemy. She saw the Greeks slaughter the ill-prepared Trojan soldiers. Anger and hatred boiled within her as she turned to the people. "…to the palace! Head for the palace!"

Picking up a little lost girl in her arms, Lucia ran side-stepping the bodies that had fallen. She could hear intense fighting within the palace but her priority was getting all the terrified women and children to the secret passage out of the city.

There she saw Princess Andromache, calm and composed in the face of tribulation. She was giving orders to her trusted servants as they led the refugees through the tunnel. Their eyes met briefly and she nodded with words unspoken, "I'll take it from here."

She felt a hand on her arm and turned to find her mother. "Lucia, aren't you coming?" she asked.

"Mother, you have to go on first."

"Please, please don't leave me," her mother pleaded, her eyes wide with fear.

"Be brave, mother. The Princess will lead you to safety and keep this for me," she said, giving the marble seal to her mother. "Don't worry I will come back for it."

Lucia kissed her mother and ran back into the palace looking for more survivors. The smoke was thick and the walls started to crumble as she ran through the hallway. Suddenly, she noticed King Priam, sprawled on the stairs with a gaping hole in his gut.

"Your Majesty!" she cried as she came to him.

King Priam looked at her sadly and said, "Save your self! It is over. Troy is finished…"

"Your Majesty…" she whispered as she cradled the dead king in her arms.

The Greeks started to pour into the hallway, pillaging and looting. Lucia got up and dived through another door. This door led to the garden and there were several dead men there – one of them caught her eye; the familiar blond hair and muscular build. She stopped and stared at the body of Achilles slumped in the bushes, his sword buried in the soil. All at once, Lucia felt the anger and pain in her heart broke free – the gods had avenged the deaths of her brother and her beloved prince. She no longer felt hatred for the mighty Achilles, only indifference – he was but another mortal.

The Greeks were everywhere by now and she could not fight them all. Lucia ran back to the secret passageway but she heard a woman screaming for help. She looked for the woman along the empty corridors. To her horror, she saw bodies of women and children scattered in front of Apollo's shrine and three Greek soldiers amusing themselves with a woman.

_Princess Andromache!_

Tearing a spear from a dead corpse with her left hand and gripping a sword in her right, she felled the men with vengeance. The princess was shaken but not harmed.

"Go now, my princess. I will stay and delay them," she told her. "Go!"

Princess Andromache was about to leave when she turned around and hugged her. "Now I know why Hector loved you."

Lucia stifled a sob and nodded. "Please…your people are waiting."

The princess took one last look at her and disappeared into the tunnel. With trembling hands, Lucia stood alone in the garden stared at the statue of Apollo. Silently, she prayed for strength to hold the rampaging horde. Taking a fallen helmet, she put it on and grabbed a battered shield. The rumbling footsteps of the Greek soldiers had told her this was her last stand. She would never see her mother …never see her farm or the mountains she loved again.

Lucia managed to parry the lethal blows of the hurtling soldiers. One of them came at her with a spear – she grabbed it and threw him to the ground. She ran the spear through the soldier and unseated a soldier from his horse. Lucia fought with great passion, refusing to give an inch after the rest of Troy had gone. Left alone, she was confronted by Greek soldiers, hungry for the kill. With a loud battle cry, she launched an attack on the enemy. She felt a stinging pain on her shoulder as a spear ran through her. Staggering back in agony, she snapped the spear leaving the tip embedded in her shoulder and fought on valiantly.

_For Hector…my prince…my beloved…_

_For __Troy__…_

With a broken spear, she blocked the blows as blood poured from her wound. A sword sliced through her torso and she stumbled. Ten soldiers closed in on her like a death trap but Lucia was on the brink losing consciousness. She dropped to one knee and stared at the soldiers who had impaled her with their swords. One of the Greek soldiers lifted her helmet and stepped back in shock. They were surprised that she was a woman. Her gaze was fixed on the faces hovering above her but she did not see them.

The sky had started to brighten with the rays of the sun… it was all over, their darkest hour had passed. Lucia no longer felt any pain -- just peace and quiet as she fell. Looking up, she was drawn to a white light. Then she saw her beloved Hector coming forth shining like the sun god holding out his hand to her. She was enveloped in the warmth of his presence and her heart was filled with joy as he gazed at her.

"I did love you, Lucia," he spoke, his voice washing over her. "I love you still. It's time to leave these shores…Come with me…"

A flash of sunlight bounced off the blade as it came down. She smiled.

**The End.******


End file.
